Burnham sees sanctions against Israeli settlements as an electoral asset

British Prime Minister Ed Miliband announced new sanctions on Tuesday banning goods produced in Israeli settlements in occupied Palestine and sanctioning those who finance them, drawing a sharp response from the Israeli government which closed the British consulate in East Jerusalem. Domestic polling indicates majority support for such measures, which Labour hopes will help regain ground with progressive and Muslim voters disillusioned by the party's stance on the Gaza war.