Andy Burnham hits out at ‘abhorrent’ US public execution plan backed by Trump
Andy Burnham has said it is ‘abhorrent’ that the US plans to carry out a livestreamed execution of a former US Army major by firing squad – saying it is not something he would want to see anywhere in the world
Andy Burnham has hit out at the ‘abhorrent’ decision to livestream an execution in the US(Image: the Rest is Politics podcast)
Andy Burnham has said it is “abhorrent” that a public execution is set to be livestreamed in the US.
The Prime Minister said he would never support the action, after US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth – backed by Donald Trump – said the killing by firing squad of a former US Army major would be shown online.
Mr Burnham told the Rest is Politics podcast, hosted by Rory Stewart and Alastair Campbell: “I certainly would never support that. So I’m happy to make my view clear. I would also, though, say it’s not necessarily the same, then, as if we make what we stand for.
“You don’t have to go around providing constant running commentary on everybody else. Just be clear about what we stand for, what we believe is right and wrong.
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“Let Britain stand for something in a world that seems to change every day. It’s something that I can’t say I ever want to see anywhere in the world, Alastair. It’s something that I find quite abhorrent in many ways. But, you know, I only want to speak for what we will do, and why we will do it.”
Last week the US Defense Department said it intended to livestream the execution of Nidal Malik Hasan by firing squad. Mr Hegseth said: “People need to understand that there’s serious consequences for these types of things.”
Asked if he had given it the green light, Trump said: “Did I approve? Absolutely I did.” But Vice President JD Vance said he would not watch the execution if it was broadcast.
Former US Army Major Hasan was sentenced to death for killing 13 and wounding 32 others in a 2009 attack at Fort Hood military base.
On Saturday the Pope, Leo XIV, criticised the death penalty, stating on X: “The death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person. The common good can be safeguarded and the requirements of justice can be met without recourse to capital punishment.”
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting, Mr Hegseth’s counterpart, said: “I don’t support the death penalty. So I obviously don’t support this particular step or this particular approach. Whether or not it happens is something else.
“I think this is a debate that’s taking place in the United States as well. And you’ve seen the comments made by JD Vance, the US vice president, so we’ll see.
“But we don’t support the death penalty. We take a very different approach here in the UK. And long may that continue.”
In an interview with Sky News, Mr Streeting continued: “Where we disagree with friends, there’s a way of doing it and, along with the Foreign Secretary, I’ve got an important responsibility to work with the United States to leverage their support in a whole number of ways, from supporting UK national security and our interests and supporting our allies.
“So you’ll have to forgive me, sometimes I resist the temptation to engage in megaphone diplomacy and instead engage in actual diplomacy, which is sometimes a tight line to walk.”
