Prime Minister Andy Burnham drew on family and Northern roots as he pledged to put the country on a new path in his first Labour conference speech as Prime Minister. In a rousing speech to his party faithful, he said he would “break with the direction” of the past 40 years because “this country is not where any of us wants us to be”.
Familiar themes and new plans
Mr Burnham touched on many of the familiar themes he has highlighted since becoming Prime Minister in July, without breaking any major new ground. He promised to give the public greater control over housing, energy, public transport and water, while he expanded on recent remarks about wanting to reform the UK social care system.
He said a 10-year plan for the UK would be published later this year as he pledged to “break the mould” to end the drift and division which has characterised British politics for a generation. But he admitted that with many of his plans being long-term, the Government’s financial constraints were limiting what he was able to do currently. “I would love to go quicker but I have to be honest about what the country can afford,” he said.
Social care and pension changes
In the most personal section of his speech, he outlined the failings in care given to his grandmother, but spoke of how he also saw that the skilled carers looking after his late father were working on “poverty pay”. He said the long-term failure to reform the social care system was an “indictment of my generation of politicians, myself included”. He said the “only answer” was a national care service that would see “everyone contribute and everyone covered”. Mr Burnham said he wanted to build a national consensus around those plans.
In a move that has already caused nervousness among some in his party, he said he would “adjust” the state pension from 2030 to no longer be guided by the expensive triple lock to help pay for the new care service. He also pledged a better deal for young people, including more emphasis on vocational education and better mental health services.
Welfare reform and voting changes
He said a “fundamental rethink” of the welfare system was needed to fund new opportunities for young people and vowed to act on the rising number of young people not in education, employment or training, known as NEETs. He also highlighted action on a longstanding wish to reform the voting system with a commission to examine voting reform.
The speech ended with an emotional tribute to his father Roy, who died earlier this month, with Mr Burnham appearing to hold back tears as he talked about how his father's values had inspired his politics. “This country gave my dad a good life,” he said. “If only he had been able to appreciate that moment of the family in Downing Street - that the son of a man who failed his 11+ exam had become Prime Minister.”
He finished by saying: “You may disagree with some or all of what I’ve said today but I have given you what you often say is missing from politics - honesty, ideas and a clear direction for the country we all love.” He added: “If you agree with enough of what I’ve said, get behind this plan and get behind each other - it’s time to draw a line.”
