Burnham risks trade war with Donald Trump as US ambassador doubles down on Labour’s ‘Jew hate’

Prime Minister Andy Burnham is facing a major diplomatic clash with the United States after US Ambassador Mike Huckabee doubled down on accusations that the Labour government’s West Bank policies amount to ‘Jew hate’. According to GB News Politics, the explosive row threatens to ignite a transatlantic trade war.

The escalating diplomatic storm follows reports that Prime Minister Andy Burnham is preparing to announce a stringent trade ban on goods originating from Israeli settlements in the West Bank. The proposed move, spearheaded by Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, is intended to signal a hardened British stance following controversies surrounding settlement expansion plans in the region.

However, the strategy has provoked fury in Washington and Jerusalem. Mike Huckabee, the US ambassador to Israel, launched a blistering attack over the weekend, writing on social media that “the Brits have lost it” and claiming that the government’s “Jew hate” knows no bounds. Speaking to the BBC’s Today programme, Mr Huckabee doubled down on the remarks despite acknowledging the Foreign Secretary’s Jewish heritage.

“I feel it is a discrimination against the Israeli government, it’s a discrimination against the Jewish people, and I don’t understand the rationale of it. It’s like throwing a stone and not having an idea of where it’s going to land.”

— Mike Huckabee, US Ambassador to Israel, GB News Politics

Number 10 confirmed that Mr Burnham discussed the contentious Middle East approach with US President Donald Trump during a phone call on Monday. While Downing Street insisted the Prime Minister underscored the importance of preserving a two-state solution, reports indicate that the Trump administration is preparing a formal statement condemning the decision. US officials have warned that states such as Florida could introduce reciprocal trade barriers against any British businesses participating in an anti-Israel boycott.

• Mike Huckabee accused the UK government of irrational discrimination and ‘Jew hate’.
• Number 10 confirmed Andy Burnham held talks with US President Donald Trump on Monday.
• Labour MP Peter Prinsley warned the plans could heighten security risks for British Jews.
• Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called for the expulsion of the British ambassador.

Domestically, the policy has exposed deep fractures within the Labour Party. Backbenchers and opposition figures have raised serious concerns regarding enforcement feasibility and the wider security implications of alienating a primary intelligence partner. As the Foreign Secretary prepares to formally unveil the measures in the Commons, ministers face intense scrutiny over whether the diplomatic fallout is worth the cost.

Original source: Read the full report at GB News Politics