Hope. Over the past decade, that word has felt scarce. The task ahead of us is to change that.
At this year’s Labour Party Conference, hope was in the air. Andy Burnham’s first speech as Prime Minister and Labour Leader had a clear objective: to present a fresh vision to the country and show how things can be better. You could hear the emotion in his voice throughout the speech as he spoke about the love he has for this country, and the opportunities it has given him.
“A union of nations that gave trade unions and the cooperative movement to the world. The National Health Service. A country that stood up to fascism. A country of solidarity not separation.
…Britain is not perfect. It can be better and we will make it so. But it still stands for something worth saving, worth fighting for.”
– Prime Minister Andy Burnham
These words capture the spirit of this year’s Labour Party Conference – rejecting the failed status quo and offering a new kind of politics. Greater public control of energy, water, and housing. A plan for growth in every postcode. A new social contract for the 21st century. Rewiring Britain.
Here in Plymouth, the benefits of this are clear. When South West Water has just been fined over £7.8 million for illegal sewage spills, something must be done. We need change, and that is what this announcement offers us.
As for housing, we have 1,105 long-term empty homes sitting in our city, while 178 families with children are living in temporary accommodation. That just isn’t right. Andy Burnham’s announcement that councils will have new powers to take over empty and derelict homes to meet local housing needs will be a gamechanger. It will give families in desperate need a place to stay, and will stop properties from falling into disrepair by bringing them back into use.
And I know that energy bills have been too high in this country for a long time, with bills in the UK more expensive than any of our European neighbours. We’re announcing the creation of Great British Grid, a state-owned company that will act as a competitor to push down energy prices, the first of its kind since privatisation in the 1980s. Within 10 years, our energy bills will be brought down in line with the rest of Europe.
But it isn’t enough to only plan for the future. There are problems that need addressing in the here and now, immediately. That is why, from the start of this month, VAT on household electricity bills was removed. That is money in your pocket right now. From April next year, business rates for clubs, pubs, and live music venues will be cut by 20%. These venues play a huge role in Plymouth’s economy and have a massive cultural impact. It is right that we are taking pressure off them to ensure they can stick around for the future. And from 1 January 2027, bus travel is being capped at £2. Whether you’re going to work, school, seeing friends, popping to the shops, or getting to a doctor’s appointment, you will be saving money. These are the changes the government is making in the immediate term to make life that little bit easier.
Alongside this, the Prime Minister has proven that he is not afraid to grasp the nettle and take the reins on difficult issues. Nowhere is this truer than with our care system. As it stands, older people are let down both in the South West and nationwide. Receiving inadequate care, often made to feel grossly undignified.
We will build a National Care Service, founded on the same principles as the National Health Service, and just as bold. High-quality care, starting at home, free at the point of use. Putting people before profit.
Not getting the care you need later in life has consequences for us all. How many people are stuck in hospital beds because the care they’re receiving elsewhere is inadequate? Or worse, how many people are stuck on corridors because they can’t get a bed to begin with? How many 999 calls or ambulance trips could be prevented by properly addressing social care from the start? To save our NHS, we must save social care.
But it isn’t an easy solution. Many governments have found it easier to look the other way. To pretend nothing is wrong, all the while the glaring issues in our health and social care system stare back at us unresolved. It requires genuine willpower and a willingness to spend political capital to address the problems we have. That is what this Labour government has committed to do.
This will not be a quick fix, or a cheap gimmick. It will be a long-term effort to overhaul a broken system and replace it with something new. I know that this will cost money, and I know that money must come from somewhere.
From April 2030, we will adjust the Triple Lock so that state pensions rise by the highest of prices or 2.5%. This will make sure that the state pension continues to rise and that its value holds up over time. By making this change, we will save £15 billion a year by the end of the 2030s, and up to £50 billion a year by 2050. This will fund our National Care Service, keeping the state pension sustainable for years to come and ensuring that you can get good quality care as you get older. Make no mistake: this will be utterly transformational.
Care is not the only big issue Andy Burnham has pledged to address while others have looked away. On his first day as Prime Minister, his first announcement on the steps of 10 Downing Street was to end rough sleeping. I wholeheartedly support this effort, and was glad to see it reiterated at conference.
For me, that sums up what the focus of this government is. Putting the care of people front and centre in everything we do. Doing what is right, not what is easy. And not being afraid of addressing the fundamental problems we face as a country.
We’ve made lots of progress in the past two years, and there’s a lot more to do. Andy Burnham is looking at everything government does to make life better for people in Plymouth, and it is clear from the energy he is putting in just how hard he is trying to improve this country.