Andy Burnham's first Labour conference speech as Prime Minister was rooted in Keble Drive, Old Roan, on Merseyside — the house where he was born, just eight miles from the Liverpool venue. The emotional address came only two weeks after the loss of his father, Roy Burnham.
A speech shaped by personal loss
Roy Burnham was present throughout the speech, alongside grandma Kitty. His influence appeared not only in the Prime Minister's determination to fix the system for working-class people and his pledge to create a National Care Service, but also in the urgency that bereavement brings — the sudden understanding that it is later than we think.
The kitchen-sink speech covered social care, the electoral system, water companies and the sting of Brexit. Among the faithful, gasps were audible as Burnham grasped one nettle after another. "I accept I may pay a political price… but someone has go through the pain of ripping the plaster off," he said.
Storytelling and political vision
Burnham, an English graduate, wove his life story into the country's narrative. He became tearful when mentioning Roy, having listened to the speech in a hotel suite with advisors beforehand. He promised to create the National Care Service "in memory of my dad and out of complete respect for everyone who cared for him," and told care workers, "you are not invisible to me."
He also criticised the Conservatives for selling off Britain's homes, energy, water and care. "The British right talk about taking back control," he said, earning a standing ovation. "Never let them forget, they are the ones that gave it away in the first place."
A call to the nation
The speech opened with 'All Together Now' by The Farm, a local band, as a call to conference and country. "Get behind each other," Burnham said, as Roy might have told his three sons. His policy to end rough sleeping, 'Everyone In', also felt like an invitation for the nation to come in from the cold.
