Zarah Sultana claims ‘nothing’ would change under an Andy Burnham government
'He's the establishment's last roll of the dice.'
Your Party MP Zarah Sultana has criticised Andy Burnham, Makerfield’s new MP, suggesting nothing will change if he becomes prime minister.
Sultana described Burnham as “the establishment’s last roll of the dice”, “not the second coming”.
Burnham was elected to represent Makerfield yesterday, and will now look to replace Keir Starmer as prime minister.
The Coventry MP blasted Burnham in a post on X, criticising him for voting for the Iraq war in 2003, and for refusing to describe Israel’s ongoing destruction and mass killings in Palestine as genocide.
In a strongly-worded post on X, Sultana wrote: “Just another reminder that Andy Burnham voted for the Iraq war – an illegal war that cost over a million lives.
“He has refused to describe the systematic slaughter of Palestinians in Gaza as genocide.”
Referring to Burnham replacing Starmer as prime minister, she said: “So what will change? Nothing.”
Earlier this month, Burnham said he “can’t judge” if the Israeli military’s crimes in Gaza are a genocide.
Sultana argued arms sales to Israel would continue under a Burnham government, and that “welfare will be cut to fund more weapons”.
She added that immigration detention will be expanded, and mass deportations will continue.
According to a ‘source’ who spoke to the Guardian, Burnham has privately backed Shabana Mahmood’s hardline changes to Indefinite Leave to Remain, which have seen qualifying times for settled status doubled from five to at least 10 years.
The former Labour MP said the danger of “racist pogroms” on our streets has not gone away, and that fascism is “already here”, adding that “only socialism can face down this barbarism”.
Earlier today, she also mocked Starmer’s response to Burnham’s victory in Makerfield.
Starmer congratulated Burnham, stating: “Voters chose Labour’s campaign of hope and optimism over division and hate.”
Sultana responded with the meme of a person crying behind a smiley face mask.
While some commended Sultana’s comments, others accused the co-founder of the failed Your Party project of “mouthing left politics” but failing to achieve change.
Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward
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