Prime Minister Andy Burnham fought back tears as he delivered his first Labour Conference speech as party leader in front of a packed auditorium in Liverpool this afternoon. The Labour leader set out his vision for the country alongside a number of major announcements.
Emotional tribute to late father
A long and emotional pause during the speech was a notably moving moment, as the Prime Minister took his time before speaking about his late dad and the impact he had on both his personal and political life.
Roy Burnham was suffering from Alzheimer's and his son had spoken movingly about his dad's battle before and after taking up the position of Prime Minister earlier this year. Downing Street confirmed earlier this month that Roy had died and said the Prime Minister would be cancelling any planned engagements in his diary that morning.
In recent weeks, Mr Burnham spoke regularly about his dad's Alzheimer's condition, particularly as the new Prime Minister presented his vision for improving social care across the country.
'Fight for the country' promise
Today in Liverpool, Mr Burnham promised to "fight for the country" to a standing ovation from the Liverpool audience. He said: "Whatever the flaws of this country it has given my dad a good life. He recognised and was grateful for it."
The Prime Minister added: "Britain is not perfect. But it still stands for something worth saving, worth fighting for. We will always be stronger facing a changing world together, rather than separating."
He said through tears: "That is the United Kingdom my dad represented, and is the one I believe in. A union of nations that gave trade unions and the cooperative movement to the world, the National Health Service, a country that stood up to fascism, a country of solidarity, not separation. That's the Britain that my dad represented."
National Care Service announced
The Prime Minister set out his plans for free social care in England, announcing a change to the pensions triple lock to pay for it, to overhaul the electoral system and improve public control of the water industry.
Mr Burnham vowed to build a "National Care Service" which will be "free at the point of use" and impose no charges on the basic state pension, in what he described as a "landmark policy as significant as the creation of the NHS itself."
He said the Government will start laying the ground now for the service and introduce it in the next Parliament. The Prime Minister said: "I accept I may pay a political price. But someone has to go through the pain barrier and rip the plaster off. It will be fully funded, and not through borrowing."
