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Sir Peter Burnham addresses the Labour Party's annual conference in Liverpool, vowing to end a decade of political turmoil and economic drift while promising renewed hope for Britain through modest tax cuts and increased local power.
has been in the job for two months, and so far his party isn't demanding his head. These days, that's an accomplishment.opens its annual conference beside the River Mersey in Liverpool on Sunday, with Burnham pledging to turn the page on a decade of economic and political turmoil that has made him the U.K.'sHe says his message in a keynote speech on Tuesday will be:"It's time for Britain to have hope again.
" "We've had a decade since Brexit and it's been a decade of too much drift, too much division, and we need to draw a line on that," Burnham said as he arrived in Liverpool on Saturday. His message is aimed at both the British public and a center-left party that is hopeful but nervous — ready to embrace his promise of better times, but worried about economic damage rippling out from conflict in the Middle East.
University of Manchester political science professor Rob Ford said Burnham's difficult task is to win over"a skeptical electorate" eager for change,"while at the same time doing that within the constraints of a very difficult economic and fiscal situation.
"Britain's main political parties all hold conferences in September and October, combinations of pep rally, social gathering and policy forum that set the political tone and agenda for the year ahead. Last year's Labour gathering was gloomy, as members despaired about Prime Minister Keir Starmer's deep unpopularity, little more than a year afterBurnham, then the popular mayor of Greater Manchester, was followed around Liverpool by journalists as speculation grew that he would challenge Starmer.
Now, Labour is seeing a"Burnham bounce" driven by the new leader's upbeat talk and modest moves to put money in voters' pocketbooks by cutting tax on electricity bills and capping bus fares. Burnham has already set out some priorities, including handing more power to local leaders in order to generate"good growth in every post code.
" He says he'll reform Britain's privatized utilities, especially the expensive, leaky and polluting water network. While the party is relatively united behind Burnham, he faces a divisive decision about whether to approve new oil drilling in the North Sea – opposed by environmentalists but backed by trade unions – and pushback over plans agreed under Starmer to make it harder for immigrants to settle permanently in Britain.
The next general election does not have to be called until 2029, but Labour's revival has sparked talk of a snap election – something Burnham denies he's considering. Burnham must explain to party members and voters how he will deal with economic turbulence from the on-off U.S.-Iran war, which has severely restricted the movement of oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz.
Treasury chief John Healey is set to deliver the Burnham government's first budget on Oct. 28, with rising energy prices tightening a cost-of-living squeeze. Like other countries, Britain also needs to find money to increase defense spending to counter threats from Russia. Under Starmer, Labour was elected in 2024 on a promise not to seek to rejoin the bloc or enter its single market for goods, services and employment.
Many Labour members would like to break that pledge, including former Prime Minister Tony Blair, who said last week that the U.K. and EU should start negotiations"where everything is on the table.
" Burnham has said that's a discussion for another time. Meanwhile, progress toward closer ties has been slow. An EU-U.K. reset summit initially penciled in for July has slipped to November at the earliest because the two sides are wrangling over the bloc's"made in Europe" rules, which the U.K. says will hurt British producers. Ford said that unlike Starmer, who quickly squandered the public's goodwill, Burnham has held onto his reputation"as an optimist and an effective communicator.
" But he said Burnham's"really stern test" is yet to come. "The bills are still going to land on the doormat," Ford said. "He's going to have to be the prime minister who can sell the average voter on, 'Yes, that is indeed a bowl of cold porridge in front of you, but it will get better.
'"Britain's Prime Minister Andy Burnham and his wife Marie-France Van Heel arrive for the Labour Party Conference at the ACC Liverpool, in Liverpool, England,, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026. - The Associated Press
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