Politics Live

Andy Burnham delivered his first speech as Prime Minister to the Labour conference, which the programme described as personal and emotional after his father died two weeks earlier. Delegates in Liverpool gave it a strong reception, and Alex Forsyth reported that he had set political dividing lines on public ownership, the triple lock, a national care service, Brexit and changing the voting system. His proposed change to the triple lock after 2030 would break its annual link with earnings, so the state pension would rise by 2.5% or prices, with earnings adjustments over time, to help fund a national care service. The programme noted hesitation in the hall when he explained how it would be funded, and criticism from Unite’s Sharon Graham and some Labour backbenchers, who argued pensioners should not fund care and the wealthy should be looked to instead.

The programme then reported forecasts of the biggest household energy bill rise in four years. Simon Jack said bills would rise the next day by 4% to around £1,700, with a further predicted 16% increase in January taking the average household close to £1,999 a year. The EDF boss warned the UK was walking into a second significant energy crisis after the one four years earlier, citing wars affecting Russia and Qatar, and said the government should approve the Jackdaw and Rosebank oil and gas fields. Panel discussion covered whether help should be targeted, insulation and renewable energy, with Rachel Cunliffe noting North Sea fuel would be sold on the international market, while Robert Colvile and Owen Jones disagreed over net zero, costs and dependence on fossil fuels.

Later, Health and Social Care Minister James Frith was interviewed about energy prices and the proposed triple lock change, saying the triple lock would be adjusted after this Parliament and that the national care service would be developed following Dame Louise Casey’s review, with personal care included but not board and lodging. The panel discussed the triple lock’s sustainability, funding, pensioner poverty and possible alternatives such as equalising capital gains tax with income tax. The programme also returned to Burnham’s speech line that Britain had been on the wrong path for 40 years, with panel members debating deindustrialisation, living standards, the services sector, housing and financialisation.