Labour prime minister pledges national care service, electoral reform and closer EU ties in first party conference speech.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has unveiled an ambitious programme to reshape the country’s social services, utilities, electoral system and relationship with the European Union, using his first Labour Party conference speech to draw a sharp line under decades of British politics.
Speaking in Liverpool, Burnham promised what he described as a “new social contract for the 21st century”, arguing that Britain had spent too long allowing major problems to remain unresolved. His proposals include a National Care Service, changes to the state pension system, electoral reform, greater public control of utilities and a reassessment of the UK’s long-term relationship with the EU.
The speech, delivered without a tie and marked by an emotional tribute to his father, was warmly received by Labour members. Burnham briefly broke down while discussing his father, who died earlier this month, and linked his personal experience of the care system to his plans for reform.
National Care Service at the centre
The most significant announcement was Burnham’s commitment to establish a National Care Service in the next parliamentary term, providing free personal care at the point of need and operating on principles similar to the NHS.
The prime minister said the service would ensure that people needing care would not be left to bear the full financial burden themselves. He also promised better recognition and conditions for care workers.
Burnham acknowledged that the reform would require substantial funding. He said it would be financed without borrowing and proposed changing the state pension “triple lock” from April 2030.
Under the current system, pensions rise by whichever is highest among average earnings growth, inflation or 2.5%. Burnham said the government would instead move to a system based on inflation or 2.5%, helping to generate savings for the care system over the longer term.
The proposal is politically sensitive because the triple lock has become one of the most established protections for pensioners. Burnham acknowledged that he could face a political cost but argued that difficult decisions could no longer be avoided.
The precise design and cost of the National Care Service remain to be determined. A government commission is expected to provide further recommendations, while estimates of the eventual cost vary considerably depending on how comprehensive the system becomes.
Electoral system overhaul
Burnham also announced plans for a National Commission on Electoral Reform, with the aim of changing the way MPs are elected.
Labour would seek to move away from the current first-past-the-post system towards a more proportional model under its next election manifesto, Burnham said.
He argued that the existing system leaves too many voters feeling that their votes have little influence and said Britain needed a political system in which every vote contributes to the composition of Parliament. The commission is expected to involve political parties as well as civic groups, trade unions, businesses and voters.
The proposal would represent a major change to the UK’s electoral system and could have significant consequences for the balance of power between the major parties and smaller political groups.
Brexit back on the political agenda
Burnham also used the speech to reopen the debate over Britain’s future relationship with the European Union.
He said Brexit had “done more harm than good” and argued that the existing relationship with the EU was insufficient to deliver the economic growth and prosperity Britain needed.
The prime minister stopped short of committing the UK to rejoining the bloc, the single market or the customs union. Instead, he said the government would examine different options and seek a broader national consensus on Britain’s long-term relationship with Europe.
Burnham subsequently confirmed that rejoining the EU was among the options that could be considered, although he said the government first needed to examine the alternatives and build support for a future settlement.
The issue represents a significant departure from the more cautious approach taken by former prime minister Keir Starmer, who had ruled out several forms of closer integration with the EU.
More public control over utilities and housing
Burnham also called for greater public control over essential services, including water, energy and housing.
Labour plans to remove legal barriers to public ownership of water companies and give mayors greater powers to hold utilities accountable. The government also wants to strengthen councils’ ability to take over empty or poorly maintained properties and expand public housing.
On energy, Burnham announced plans for a publicly owned Great British Grid within Great British Energy, aimed at accelerating grid connections, supporting industrial development and reducing energy costs.
The proposals amount to a significant expansion of the role of the state after decades in which British governments, particularly under Margaret Thatcher and her successors, pursued privatisation and greater reliance on markets.
Burnham framed his approach as a return of public control over what he described as essential parts of the economy, rather than a simple return to the policies of previous generations.
A new direction for Labour
The speech also sought to redefine Labour politically after the party’s period under Starmer.
Burnham argued that Britain had taken the wrong direction through deindustrialisation, deregulation, privatisation, austerity and Brexit. He called for a break with the political approach of the past four decades and repeatedly stressed the need to give government greater power to address long-standing problems.
The speech was widely welcomed by Labour members, with the party conference in Liverpool showing a markedly more optimistic mood than in previous years. Burnham’s popularity and communication style have helped revive enthusiasm within the party, although questions remain over whether that political momentum can be translated into support for his more expensive and controversial policies.
The election dilemma
The biggest question surrounding Burnham’s programme is when voters will be asked to endorse it.
The prime minister has ruled out calling an early general election, with the next election currently expected by 2029. Yet several of his most significant proposals depend on winning a new mandate.
The National Care Service and pension changes are planned for the next parliamentary term, while electoral reform is intended to feature in Labour’s next manifesto. A major change to the UK-EU relationship would also require a fresh political mandate.
That leaves Burnham with several years to develop and defend policies whose financial and political details are still being worked out.
The government’s fiscal position will be another major test. Britain faces high borrowing costs and elevated public debt, while the government is under pressure over taxation, public spending and weak economic growth.
Burnham has nevertheless sought to present his programme as a long-term attempt to rebuild the country rather than a series of short-term measures.
His first conference speech has therefore established the central themes of his premiership: a larger role for the state, greater public control over essential services, a new approach to social care, changes to the electoral system and a potentially closer relationship with Europe.
The challenge now is turning that political vision into detailed policy while maintaining public support for the difficult financial and political choices required to implement it.
Be First to Comment