UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham delivered a wide-ranging speech at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool on Monday, setting out a political agenda that includes revisiting Britain’s Brexit arrangements, reforming social care, and changing the electoral system. His address, lasting over an hour, outlined several significant policy commitments that will shape Labour’s platform going into the next general election, which must be held by 2029.

Central to Burnham’s speech was his pledge to reopen the Brexit deal, a move that marks a departure from Labour’s previous firm stance against rejoining the EU’s customs union or single market during the current parliamentary term. While the prime minister did not commit to a specific outcome, he said Labour would initiate a national conversation on the future relationship between the UK and the EU ahead of a scheduled EU-UK summit, pencilled in for November 20. Burnham described the current situation as unsatisfactory, stating that “Brexit has done more harm than good” and expressing a desire to build “consensus” on the issue.

In addition to the Brexit review, Burnham proposed establishing a new national care service to address the growing challenges in social care provision. He acknowledged that this would represent a major policy undertaking, comparable in significance to the creation of the National Health Service (NHS). The prime minister indicated that substantial funding would be required, suggesting that tax increases might be necessary after the election to cover costs estimated between £7 billion and £18 billion. To help finance the care service, Burnham recommended reforming the state pension system by ending the current triple lock—where the pension rises by the highest of inflation, average earnings, or 2.5 percent—and replacing it with a double lock tied to inflation or 2.5 percent, supplemented by ensuring the pension eventually tracks average earnings over time. Allies suggest this could save up to £15 billion by 2040.

Furthermore, Burnham reaffirmed Labour’s intention to campaign for a “fairer” voting system, aiming to abolish the current Westminster electoral framework. While many details remain subject to consultation, the prime minister emphasized the need to move away from what he described as “politics as usual,” which he blamed for Britain’s current difficulties.

Burnham acknowledged that some of his proposals, particularly reopening Brexit and reforming pensions, could prove unpopular and risk alienating parts of the electorate. However, he framed these steps as necessary to address long-standing political and social issues, declaring that previous leaders, including himself, had been “too cowardly” to confront them. His speech effectively set the contours for Labour’s policy debate and election platform for the coming years.