The Labour Party conference in Liverpool witnessed a day of significant internal dissent and external protest, alongside a robust debate on Britain's historical role in the Middle East. These events collectively underscored the multifaceted challenges facing the party's leadership.

Andy Burnham, the Greater Manchester mayor, launched a fresh critique of Sir Keir Starmer's leadership. In a fiery speech at a Sunday rally, Mr. Burnham accused Sir Keir of stifling debate within Labour's ranks and fostering 'a climate of fear within our party.' He acknowledged a backlash for his outspoken comments but argued that demanding 'simplistic statements of loyalty' underestimated the peril Labour faced, particularly with upcoming local elections. Burnham insisted he was speaking not for personal ambition, but on behalf of fellow Labour politicians and millions across Britain seeking 'a more hopeful direction.' He called for a crucial 'debate on our direction' within the party to ensure success in future elections, especially amid the threat from Reform UK. Sir Keir Starmer, in turn, dismissed Burnham's 'personal ambitions' and reportedly drew parallels between the mayor's economic agenda and Liz Truss's mini-budget.

Simultaneously, outside the conference venue, police made arrests as approximately 100 protesters gathered silently to support the banned group Palestine Action. The protest group Defend Our Juries stated that individuals were displaying signs reading: 'I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action.' Merseyside Police confirmed arrests were made on suspicion of carrying articles supporting a proscribed organisation. Palestine Action was banned as a terror organisation in July after claiming responsibility for damaging two Voyager planes at RAF Brize Norton. Protesters, including former Labour councillor Keith Hackett and actor Tayo Aluko, voiced shame over Labour's perceived 'complicity in genocide' and the misuse of terrorism legislation to suppress peaceful dissent. Amnesty International UK's director of communications and campaigns, Kerry Moscogiuri, condemned the arrests as 'ridiculous and seriously disproportionate,' highlighting 'serious human rights concerns' regarding the proscription of Palestine Action and its 'chilling consequences' for free speech.

Adding to the day's discussions, a fringe event at the conference hosted Dr. Victor Kattan, who asserted that the ongoing conflict in Gaza was 'made in Britain.' Dr. Kattan argued that Britain's rule in Palestine between 1917 and 1948 involved 'occupation, repression and partition,' and policies like 'large-scale demographic engineering' through mass immigration of Jewish persons. He called for the UK to apologize and make 'reparations' to Palestinian Arabs, criticizing the 1917 Balfour Declaration and Britain's abandonment of Palestine in chaos in 1948. The 'Britain owes Palestine' campaign, supported by left-wing Labour MPs and peers including John McDonald, demands UK accountability for 'serial international law violations.' However, these remarks were met with strong criticism from the Campaign Against Anti-Semitism, which described them as 'breathtaking historical ignorance' and a 'shocking moral inversion.'

The events at the Labour conference highlighted a party grappling with significant internal divisions over its leadership and direction, while also facing intense external pressure and historical scrutiny concerning its stance on international conflicts and protest rights.