Prime Minister Andy Burnham has described the failure of politicians to resolve the social care crisis over decades as a “major dereliction of public duty”. Speaking about the care his father, who has Alzheimer’s, receives, Mr Burnham blamed “my generation of politicians” for not addressing the challenges of an ageing society and unfairness in the system.
Call for better pay and conditions
Mr Burnham said care workers should be “the best-paid people in society, not the worst”. He promised reforms to improve the “strength and the capability” of the social care workforce.
Review and cross-party talks
During his speech, the Prime Minister announced he has accelerated Baroness Louise Casey’s review of social care so that it will report next year. He also confirmed he would begin cross-party talks with the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats, insisting it was the “right thing to do” to try to find a consensus.
Mr Burnham said: “It’s a major dereliction of public duty that Parliament has not faced up to this of all challenges, something so fundamental to life as this. It’s shameful, to be honest, that politicians have put point scoring before fixing this issue, but that’s what’s happened. It’s created a feeling in Westminster that this is too difficult, and if you take it on, you’re taking on too big a political risk.”
Care home visit
Before his speech, Mr Burnham, Health Secretary Yvette Cooper and Baroness Casey met residents at the care home in London where he delivered his address. When Mr Burnham told one resident he was the Prime Minister, the resident replied: “A new one? They keep changing.”
