Burnham vows candid debate on social care and taxes in Labour conference address
Andy Burnham will promise an honest discussion of difficult topics, unveiling policies on social care, youth unemployment and public utility ownership in his first Labour conference speech.
At the Labour Party conference, leader Andy Burnham will use his inaugural speech to commit to an “honest conversation” about topics he claims are usually avoided by politicians. He plans to outline a suite of proposals covering social care financing, measures to tackle youth unemployment and the public ownership of utilities, aligning with the event’s “Hope again” theme. Burnham reiterated his criticism of entrenched vested interests and the “flawed thinking of the last 40 years,” and indicated he may back unpopular choices, including tax hikes, to fund care reforms he once pursued as health secretary.
He noted that a forthcoming review by Baroness Louise Casey will inform his manifesto proposals. Conservative Party chairman Kevin Hollinrake responded by accusing Labour of harming businesses with tax rises, while Burnham warned that the status quo has set Britain back. The address aims to set a clear direction for the party ahead of the next election.
Why it matters
The speech outlines Labour’s policy agenda and possible tax changes that could reshape the UK economy and public services.
How this story developed
- Sep 21 Labour insiders deny early election plans amid polling boost and Reform UK funding scandal
- Sep 22 YouGov's latest seat-by-seat model indicates Reform UK would secure just 123 seats if a general election were called today, a sharp drop from a similar poll a year ago. Labour is forecast to lead with 241 seats, followed by the Conservatives at 130, while the Liberal Democrats hold steady at 71. The results point to the first hung parliament since the 2010 coalition. Reform also appears to be losing its high-profile MPs Robert Jenrick and Suella Braverman back to the Conservatives. The party's decline follows recent scandals involving alleged off-the-books polling and the suspension of aides Dan Jukes and James Orr, prompting a Met Police investigation.
- Sep 25 A new YouGov poll shows Reform UK level with the Conservatives and behind Labour.
- Sep 26 The Labour leader, speaking from his No10 North office in Manchester, recounted how his father Roy, who died aged 86 in a care home while battling Alzheimer’s, highlighted systemic failures. Burnham recalled similar hardships his grandmother faced 25 years ago and warned that neglecting social care will jeopardise the NHS. He pledged to make reform a priority despite political difficulty and will address the issue in his upcoming conference speech.
- Sep 26 Labour’s party chair urged vigilance at the start of the Liverpool conference amid a poll surge.
- Sep 27 Burnham said he will pursue a taxpayer-funded national care service and is open to any financing option, including unpopular tax increases.
- Sep 27 Burnham added a vow to chart a new post‑Brexit path.
- Sep 27 Chancellor John Healey will announce a £115 million investment in a new research vessel and three floating docks, framing shipbuilding as the core of a “new age of industrialisation” at the Labour conference.
- Sep 28 A £100 million apprenticeship fund was added to the industrial plan.
- Sep 28 Sir Andrew Dilnot warned the plan could take decades and cost billions, adding new doubts about its feasibility.
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