Andy Burnham has pledged to begin transforming England's broken social care system within his first year as prime minister, accusing Westminster of shying away from difficult policy challenges. The Greater Manchester mayor, who is standing in the Makerfield by-election, said urgent reform is needed and that he would not flinch from addressing inheritance tax and care charges to fund a national care service.
Burnham, who first attempted social care reform as Labour's health secretary in 2009, suggested bringing forward the Casey review – tasked with drawing up funding proposals – from 2028 to the end of 2026. He emphasised the need for quick implementation of measures to fix the crisis.
In an interview with the Guardian, Burnham confirmed for the first time that he intends to run in a Labour leadership contest, stating on BBC Question Time that he would seek to challenge Keir Starmer if he returns to Westminster. However, Downing Street insisted Starmer would not walk away, with a spokesperson saying the party has a process for challenging a leader that has not been triggered.
Burnham also argued that Labour should be a broad church with more left-wing ministers, but ruled out allowing Jeremy Corbyn back into the party. He signalled there would be no snap election if he replaced Starmer, and defended his stance on fiscal rules, saying they have freed up resources for public investment.
On Brexit, Burnham said it would be a mistake to rerun the referendum but expressed a desire for the UK to rejoin the EU in his lifetime. He praised Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood for facing up to immigration issues, and warned that if politics does not change, the UK risks becoming as polarised as the United States.
