Burnham sets out pension changes, public ownership plans and voting reform

Andy Burnham used his first Labour conference address as party leader and prime minister to promise a break with the country’s political direction over the past four decades. His speech combined policy announcements with an appeal to traditional Labour values, and drew 11 standing ovations in a little over an hour.

Speaking without a lectern and moving around the Liverpool stage, Burnham adopted an informal presentation style, but addressed serious subjects. He spoke emotionally about his working-class upbringing and family. Unlike his predecessor, Sir Keir Starmer, in the previous year’s conference speech, Burnham did not name Nigel Farage or Kemi Badenoch. He also left out difficult questions including welfare reform and how a government would finance higher defence spending.

Burnham promised to reverse aspects of Margaret Thatcher’s 1980s reforms to give the public more control over housing, water and energy. The most specific new proposal was legislation later this year to repeal what he called Thatcher’s ideological prohibition on public ownership of water companies. He said the change would begin a 10-year transition towards a substantially different water system, but did not explicitly pledge to renationalise the companies.

Pensions were another focus after speculation in the run-up to the speech that Burnham might abandon the state pension triple lock. He said Labour would honour its promise to retain the guarantee until the end of the current Parliament. The mechanism currently raises pensions each year by whichever is greatest: inflation, average earnings growth or 2.5%.

From April 2030, Burnham proposed changing the formula so pensions would rise annually by inflation or 2.5%, whichever was higher. In years when necessary, increases would also keep pace with average wages. He said the adjustment would produce significant savings to help pay for his long-standing plan to establish a National Care Service in England. Acknowledging the political risk, he said he accepted he might pay a price, but argued that someone had to confront the difficult decision.

The Labour leader also announced a national commission on electoral reform, a cause that has support among many conference delegates. Burnham said Labour would fight the next general election with a manifesto pledge to replace the current voting system, first past the post, with one intended to ensure each vote counts and every voice is represented.

Near the end of the speech, Burnham briefly struggled to continue while talking about his father, Roy, who died earlier this month after living with Alzheimer’s disease. He reflected that his father had not been able to witness his son’s first day in Downing Street. Roy, Burnham said, had failed the 11-plus examination; his son went on to become prime minister. The address’s longest ovation followed Burnham’s promise to use the office to build the Britain his father had wanted and to fight to hold the country together.