Andy Burnham's leader's speech at the Labour party conference was a deeply personal tribute to his late father, Roy, who died earlier this month. The prime minister told delegates he wanted to build the country his father would have hoped to see, framing his vision as a debt of honour rather than his own personal ambition.
A Freudian Media Round
In the traditional post-speech media round on Wednesday morning, BBC's Nick Robinson conducted the Today programme interview with Burnham, adopting a psychotherapeutic approach. Robinson, positioning himself as a modern-day Sigmund Freud, skipped the usual pleasantries and went straight to the heart of the matter, exploring the prime minister's relationship with his father.
Burnham, however, rejected the Philip Larkin doctrine that parents "fuck you up," insisting he only received good things from his dad. When Robinson suggested his father would tell him not to be so nostalgic, Burnham was adamant, saying Roy would have stuck to his roots of quiet patriotism. Asked if he was on an emotional rollercoaster with the funeral taking place on Friday, Burnham conceded he could be, but added that rollercoasters were his happy place.
Beyond the Speech
Robinson briefly turned to the substance of the speech, asking what would happen in the next three years. Burnham shrugged, saying there wasn't much he could do: energy bills were rising faster than he could offer rebates, he couldn't stop wars around the world, and the cost of debt was out of his hands. He urged patience, insisting things would get better, just so long as Labour won in 2029.
Burnham identified social care, the triple lock, Brexit, and electoral reform as the real engines that would transform the country and reconnect voters with politics. On Brexit, he noted that the single market, customs union, and rejoining were all on the table. He also mentioned a national care service, acknowledging it wasn't ideal but better than what was currently on offer.
The Conference Ends
Back in the main hall, the conference proper wound down as Yvette Cooper, Lucy Powell, and others made final speeches to polite applause. The event ended as all Labour conferences ended, with renditions of The Red Flag and Jerusalem, followed by a dash for the exits. Most people had already left.
This had been the Andy Burnham show, and delegates couldn't have been happier. The Labour party had rediscovered its soul and its belief, with a leader who could go toe-to-toe with other parties. Maybe this was also the sketch that Andy Burnham's father would have wanted.
