Prime Minister pledges £48 million boost to dementia research in memory of father
Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced a £48 million partnership to speed up dementia research, saying the cause is personal after his father’s death.
In a statement ahead of the Innovation Nation Summit in Manchester, Prime Minister Andy Burnham pledged a £48 million partnership to accelerate the search for a dementia cure, describing the effort as a personal mission after his father Roy died of the disease. The initiative backs a journalist at one outlet campaign and combines a £33 million government grant with contributions from Bristol Myers Squibb, GSK and Gates Ventures.
Funds will flow to the Barbara Alliance, named for the late Dame Barbara Windsor, to streamline clinical trial recruitment and create a data platform linking health records. Burnham also announced that dementia will be a top priority for the new Health Data Research Service, which receives up to £600 million from the government and the Wellcome Trust. The plan is tied to broader reforms, including a National Care Service that will provide free personal care for older adults. Health Secretary Yvette Cooper welcomed the move, saying it will help turn the tide on the disease that claims 76,000 lives a year in Britain.
Why it matters
The funding aims to fast-track dementia cures and improve care for millions affected by the disease.
How this story developed
- Sep 29 UK Labour leader proposes replacing pension triple lock with double lock
- Sep 29 In his opening speech at the Labour conference, Andy Burnham described Brexit as detrimental and opened the discussion on closer ties with the EU, potentially even re-entry. The Prime Minister later confirmed that a range of relationship options will be presented and that a consensus will be sought. Downing Street did not rule out that re-joining the bloc could be among those options. Experts note that any reversal would face lengthy negotiations and possibly a referendum.
- Sep 29 Labour leader Andy Burnham delivered his first conference speech, unveiling policy proposals on public ownership, pensions, and electoral reform.
- Sep 30 The Prime Minister now says re‑joining the EU is among the options the government will consider.
- Sep 30 Burnham signaled that full EU membership is among the possible routes Labour could evaluate.
- Oct 3 A new poll shows half of British adults now support rejoining the EU.
- Oct 3 Burnham announced a shift from the triple lock to a double lock for state pension increases.
- Oct 8 Burnham announced that the pension triple‑lock will be scrapped after the next general election and its savings will fund a National Care Service.
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