Andy Burnham quashes election gossip, promises a big speech in Liverpool and flags water, fuel and migration reforms.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham arrived in Liverpool this weekend to lead the Labour Party’s annual conference, his first appearance in the role at the event. The gathering, which runs from the weekend through to Wednesday will see delegates from across Great Britain and the UK converge on Merseyside.
Before boarding the train, Burnham answered questions from more than two dozen broadcasters in a marathon media round, using the opportunity to shut down speculation about an early poll.
Election rumours knocked dead
When asked whether his government was weighing a snap vote as early as next year, the Prime Minister responded plainly: ‘I can knock that dead.’ He reiterated the statutory timetable, confirming that ‘the next election will be in 2029.’ Burnham stressed that his priority was not to launch a backward-looking campaign but to deliver tangible improvements for people’s everyday lives.
‘I joined our party when I was 15 for the same reason many of you did – to change our communities and build a fairer country,’ he said, echoing his long-standing commitment to the Labour movement.
Policy focus at the Liverpool summit
During a pre-conference teaser, Burnham hinted that a programme for reform would dominate his speech, scheduled for next week. He promised to outline steps aimed at easing the cost of living supporting businesses, and addressing urgent infrastructure challenges. The Premier highlighted three pillars: water-sector overhaul, fuel-price pressures, and migration management.
Water utilities, diesel costs and channel crossings
The water sector will feature prominently. Burnham referenced the recent criticism of South West Water which Friends of the Earth labelled a “top flop” after logging an average of 574,323 hours of pollution incidents since 2024. Acknowledging public anger, he said the government is “well aware of the strength of feeling in the region.” He also noted that officials are examining all options to rescue Thames Water a utility saddled with roughly £20 billion in debt.
Fuel costs were another hot topic. The RAC reported the average diesel price at 198.32p with industry analyst Simon Williams warning that a record of 199.09p could be eclipsed over the upcoming weekend. When pressed about tax relief, Burnham deferred, stating that any diesel-tax changes would have to wait for the next Budget, while emphasising that rising prices are “barely in” the government’s control and stem from global supply dynamics.
On immigration, Burnham traced the surge in illegal small-boat crossings to the loss of collaborative mechanisms that existed before Brexit. Speaking to BBC South East, he said the UK and the EU “had a more co-operative system” in the past and that the current environment makes it harder to curb the flow. He pledged that neither he nor Home Secretary Shabina Mahmood will cease efforts until “every element of this criminal, illegal activity” is tackled, though he stopped short of offering a firm deadline.
