Andy Burnham has announced 10 proposed changes to reshape the UK at the Labour Party Conference, in what may be the biggest shake-up to the country in decades. The sweeping proposals include changes to the state pension triple lock and social care, while Chancellor John Healey gears up for his maiden Budget in October. Secretary of State for Housing Angela Rayner has also unveiled a raft of fresh legislation for households covering leaseholds and powers to commandeer vacant properties.
Triple lock and water reforms
The major announcement saw Andy Burnham reveal his strategy to scrap the Triple Lock. Rather than this, the system of boosting state pension payments using one of three measures - inflation, wage growth or a fixed 2.5% - will be reduced to merely two, inflation or 2.5%. Wage growth would no longer be considered in the yearly increase, from 2030 onwards.
Andy Burnham has also pledged to bolster public oversight of the water network through legislation that will overturn "Margaret Thatcher's ideological ban on public ownership of water companies". He stated this would "start a 10-year journey to a very different water system", providing local leaders fresh authority to hold water firms accountable and shutting loopholes exploited to distribute substantial bonuses.
The Labour leader branded the water sector as a "symbol of what has gone wrong with Britain" where "shareholders never lose and the public never win, from which some have syphoned out easy money while the public picked up the bill for the sewage in our seas".
National Care Service and electoral reform
The funds released through the triple lock will be utilised to help finance a new National Care Service for social care, according to Mr Burnham. He dismissed the notion that he was targeting pensioners with the triple lock modification. When questioned why he was focusing on pensioners, the Prime Minister told ITV's Good Morning Britain: "I think you've got it completely wrong really, if you don't mind me saying, to put it like that, because I have put out today a vision for a national care service..."
Mr Burnham pledged to contest the next election with a manifesto commitment to transform the voting system "so everyone's vote counts and everyone's voice is heard". He unveiled a fresh national commission on electoral reform, welcoming all political parties to participate in its efforts. The Prime Minister has consistently backed proposals to scrap the first-past-the-post system in favour of proportional representation.
EU ties, energy, housing and youth measures
The Prime Minister vowed to outline options for strengthened ties with the European Union later this year, suggesting he might abandon the 2024 Labour manifesto's red lines against rejoining the customs union or single market. He declared in his address: "We will not give Britain the clear path we need into the rest of the century until we decide on a long-term relationship with what is still our largest market." He added: "I cannot say to you that where we are is good enough. Brexit has done more harm than good."
Andy Burnham has also unveiled a new publicly owned entity, the "Great British Grid", which aims to "challenge the private sector operators" in order to "increase competition, drive down costs and speed up connection". The new organisation being established under the Great British Energy banner should simplify connections to the energy grid, addressing one of the problems often cited as hindering economic growth and escalating costs. This will be the first public sector participant in electricity networks since privatisation under former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.
Angela Rayner declared she had "unfinished business" promising to extend protections for leaseholders by imposing a cap on administration fees. Under existing regulations, homeowners can face charges of hundreds of pounds for owning a pet or replacing a front door, Ms Rayner informed the Labour Party conference.
Andy Burnham has announced that councils will be granted the authority to take over substandard homes if landlords decline to upgrade them. Speaking to Labour Party delegates and activists in Liverpool, the Prime Minister said: "Go to almost any town across Britain, and you will see plenty of empty homes. We will give councils the power to take control of them and bring them back into the public housing stock."
Promising to demonstrate "the same boldness for our young people" Mr Burnham expressed his desire to "invest" in them rather than "pay for failure through the benefits system". He voiced concern that too many youngsters are "drifting" towards the benefits system. Mr Burnham drew attention to Alan Milburn's impending review into the escalating number of young individuals not engaged in education, employment or training, set to be published this autumn. He reaffirmed Labour's intentions to overhaul the education system with academic and technical routes from 14, provide work placements and apprenticeships, and cut waiting times for young people requiring mental health support.
In his speech, Andy Burnham reiterated that bus fares will be nationally capped at £2 from January, echoing a policy he implemented during his tenure as Mayor of Greater Manchester.
