Burnham to unveil social care reform and tax rises in first Labour conference speech
The Prime Minister will use his maiden Labour Party conference address to set out social care reform, tax rises and a new publicly backed body to invest in the electricity grid.
Andy Burnham will use his first Labour Party conference speech as Prime Minister to set out plans for social care reform and tax rises, alongside a major expansion of public control over the electricity grid. The address, expected to be the centrepiece of the conference, will see Burnham commit his remaining political capital to fixing a social care system he has long described as broken.
Burnham has previously stated his intention to spend his remaining political capital on fixing social care, signalling that reform of the sector will be a defining mission of his premiership. The speech is expected to pair that ambition with tax rises, framing the measures as necessary to fund public services and rebuild national infrastructure.
Central to the announcement will be the creation of GB Grid, a new government-backed body to invest in the electricity grid. The body will use money previously allocated to Great British Energy to compete with privately owned companies such as National Grid, marking a significant step towards bringing Britain's utility companies into public control. Burnham is expected to argue that the current energy system is broken and that greater public ownership is needed to lower bills and secure investment.
The Prime Minister will also warn that firms and businesses are being left to shoulder the cost of the existing system, using the speech to make the case for a more interventionist approach to energy and infrastructure. The creation of GB Grid is intended to accelerate investment in the grid, which the government argues has suffered from years of underinvestment.
The conference itself has been marked by a shift in mood compared with last year, with the unease and pessimism that hung over the previous gathering replaced by a quiet sense of hope in the corridors and late-night bars. The mantra of «Hope Again» has been adopted by attendees, reflecting a more optimistic atmosphere ahead of Burnham's big moment.
Energy secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh has also been speaking at the conference, saying her department is looking at all options for investment in the electricity grid. She accused the previous Conservative government of failing to invest in the system and said the government must find the most cost-effective way to do so. Her comments reinforce the message that grid investment is a priority for the new administration.
Burnham's speech is expected to set the tone for the government's wider agenda, combining social policy reform with industrial and energy strategy. The decision to use his first conference address to announce both social care reform and tax rises underlines the scale of the challenge he intends to take on, and the political capital he is prepared to spend.
The plans for GB Grid will be watched closely by the energy sector, which has been anticipating greater state involvement in the grid following years of debate over ownership and investment. By competing with private operators, the new body could reshape the market and give the government a direct role in the transition to cleaner energy.
For Labour delegates, the speech represents the first clear statement of intent from Burnham as party leader and Prime Minister. The combination of social care reform, tax rises and public control of energy infrastructure is likely to define the political debate in the months ahead, as the government seeks to deliver on promises made at the conference.
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