Emotional Burnham sets out long-term vision to tackle UK’s woes
EWU•Prime Minister Andy Burnham outlined long-term plans for social care, housing and utilities, including a National Care Service, more social housing and possible public control of water companies. He said fiscal constraints mean results could take years, with some changes expected after the next election, due by mid-2029.
1. Long-term plans
Burnham told the Labour Party conference he would pursue a long-term agenda to address social care, housing and utilities, while asking voters to be patient. He said stretched public finances and previous tax pledges limited what his government could do in the near term, and that he would stick to fiscal rules aimed at reducing borrowing and debt.
2. Care, housing and water
Burnham pledged to establish a National Care Service, funded by changing the pensions triple lock, which guarantees an annual state pension increase based on the highest of inflation, wage growth or 2.5%. He also promised to prioritise social housing construction, empower councils to seize unoccupied private homes and repeal a ban on public ownership of water companies.
3. Other proposals
His plans included helping more of the roughly 1 million young people who are unemployed return to work, changing the voting system and seeking consensus on a closer post-Brexit relationship with the European Union. Burnham said he had already capped bus fares and removed value added tax from electricity bills to provide immediate relief.
