Prime Minister Andy Burnham has completed his first week in office, offering early indications of his policy priorities while facing the perennial challenges of electoral reform and social care funding. The former Greater Manchester Mayor has moved quickly to set a direction for his government, with his spokesman confirming that there are no plans to introduce a so-called 'death tax' to fund social care reforms, ahead of a scheduled speech on the subject.
Burnham has long been an advocate for proportional representation, having delivered a rousing speech on the issue at the last Labour conference. According to political commentator Polly Toynbee, Burnham has always maintained that electoral reform needs to be in the next manifesto. Achieving this would require setting up a national commission to lay out the facts and persuade voters, a majority of whom already support the idea, though it remains a low priority for many. Toynbee notes that the Conservatives and possibly Reform UK would likely deploy the same dishonest arguments they used against the Alternative Vote and Brexit referendums. The advantage is that electoral reform costs nothing, and Lords reform could even generate savings. If successful, it would be Burnham's most lasting legacy, but it carries political risk: if placed in the manifesto, the right would make it a fight to the death, fearing never again being in power alone.
Social care reform is another major test. Toynbee recalls that during his tenure as health secretary, Burnham chaired a cross-party committee ahead of the 2010 election, but then-Prime Minister David Cameron pulled out Conservative members and branded Burnham's proposed universal insurance system payable on retirement as a 'death tax' — a move she describes as pure cynicism. In 2017, Labour under Jeremy Corbyn similarly attacked Theresa May's social care plan, dubbing it a 'dementia tax', without offering an alternative in its manifesto. Since then, social care has been viewed as an electoral live rail, with promises rapidly dropped. Burnham has never abandoned his plan, seeing the current system as a disaster, consuming 78% of local authority budgets while often providing poor care. The upcoming Louise Casey review is expected to endorse Burnham's model: everyone with assets pays a lump sum on retirement or a lien on their property, far below what they might pay if needing care long-term. No one risks losing everything, and everyone pays something, based on an NHS mutuality principle.
On taxation, Burnham has suggested that some Londoners should pay more in council tax, a proposal that has drawn attention. The government has also confirmed no plans for a 'death tax' to fund social care, a position reiterated ahead of his major speech on adult social care scheduled for Wednesday. This speech is expected to provide more detail on the government's social care plans.
Political polls have shown Labour ahead of Reform UK for the first time in over a year, raising questions about whether Burnham's early policy blitz has reversed Labour's fortunes or whether Reform is responsible for its own decline. The new prime minister's flurry of early policies appears to have stabilised his party's position, but the long-term trajectory remains uncertain.
Burnham's first week has set a brisk pace, but the real challenges lie ahead. Electoral reform and social care are long-standing issues that have defeated previous governments. His ability to navigate these complex policy areas while maintaining public and party support will define his early premiership.
