Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham is reportedly considering a policy to impose regional sanctions on Israeli West Bank settlements. According to BBC political editor Chris Mason, this initiative is designed to demonstrate a more assertive stance on the issue than that currently held by Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the national Labour government.

The proposed strategy relies on coordinated international action. By aligning with other regional or international partners, proponents hope to mitigate potential diplomatic or economic retaliation from Israel or the United States. The move highlights a growing tension between local political leaders seeking to address international human rights concerns and the national government’s more cautious, centralized approach to foreign policy.

While the national government has maintained a traditional diplomatic path regarding the West Bank, Burnham’s interest in independent action suggests a desire to leverage regional authority to influence foreign policy outcomes. The BBC report notes that the primary goal of this coordination is to ensure that no single country bears the full weight of potential blowback, suggesting that Burnham is looking for a coalition-based approach to bypass the limitations of national-level inaction.