Andy Burnham used his conference speech to emphatically answer two long-standing criticisms of his premiership: that he avoids unpopular decisions and that his political beliefs remain unclear. The address, heavy with emotion and significant announcements, was the most consequential Labour conference speech by a leader in at least two decades.
Major announcements on water and care
Midway through the speech, the Prime Minister delivered major policy reveals. He promised to repeal Margaret Thatcher's "ideological" law preventing public ownership of water companies. He also announced the creation of a National Care Service, which he described as being as "significant as the creation of the NHS".
Burnham spoke movingly about his father, who spent time in a care home. At one point he paused for so long that some thought the autocue had broken. He had warned the conference this was a "different kind of speech".
Scrapping the triple lock
To fund the National Care Service, Burnham proposed scrapping the current triple lock rules on the state pension, which raise it by whichever is highest of inflation, wages or 2.5%. The triple lock is politically sensitive, with successive prime ministers reluctant to touch it. The manifesto commitment remains in place, with changes not arriving until April 2030.
Opposition parties are likely to seize on the issue, similar to how the winter fuel allowance was used against Keir Starmer. Burnham acknowledged the risk, saying he wanted to make the argument and begin a big discussion.
Critique of post-1980s Britain
Burnham reprised his argument that Britain had been "on the wrong track" since the 1980s, citing deindustrialisation, deregulation, privatisation, austerity and Brexit. He compared his task to that of the 1945 Labour government, saying: "We built the common good, or at least we did until the 1980s."
He railed against Brexit, declaring it had "done more harm than good", and backed changes to the electoral system. Labour's manifesto commits to not returning to the EU's single market, customs union or freedom of movement.
Burnham warned that continuing as they are could "open the door of Number 10 to a divisive government on less than 30% of the vote". Labour would go into the next election promising to change the system "so that everyone's vote counts and everyone's voice is heard".
The speech sets out a clear vision, but the next four years will determine whether that ambition survives contact with reality. Burnham has now given voters and opponents something concrete to judge him on, and has painted a big red bullseye on his own back.
