Burnham vows to seek new long-term relationship with EU

Burnham stated that the current relationship with the EU is insufficient and that a long-term strategy is necessary for Britain's prosperity. He indicated he would use an upcoming EU summit to present options for a closer relationship, moving beyond sectoral deals.

He also confirmed that a Labour government would end the pensions triple lock, replacing it with an inflation-based rise or a 2.5% increase. The funds saved would be redirected to establish a national care service, free at the point of use, and to exempt pensioners from income tax. Burnham acknowledged that these changes might carry a political cost but emphasized the necessity of addressing systemic issues, particularly in the care sector, which he described as worse than in his grandmother's time.

Further policy commitments included the establishment of a national commission to assess electoral reform, with an invitation for all political parties to participate. Burnham also announced plans for a leasehold reform bill to curb charges on homes and a water bill aimed at repealing Margaret Thatcher's ban on state-owned water companies, with new curbs on executive pay and enhanced mayoral powers over water systems. The creation of GB Grid, funded by money previously allocated to Great British Energy, was also confirmed.

Looking ahead, Burnham expressed his intention to broker a new code of conduct on artificial intelligence during the UK's G20 presidency, aiming to harness AI's benefits while addressing its risks.