UK PM Andy Burnham Announces Electoral Reform Commission, Plans Changes to Pension Triple Lock

LIVERPOOL: UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced a series of proposed political and social reforms in his first major speech as Labour leader at the party’s annual conference in Liverpool.

Burnham said Labour would establish a national commission on electoral reform and include a commitment to change the electoral system in its next election manifesto. He said the commission would invite participation from political parties to consider options for electoral reform.

On pensions, Burnham confirmed that the state pension triple lock would remain in place during the current parliamentary term but proposed replacing it after the next general election with a system under which pensions would rise annually by either inflation or 2.5%. He said the pension would continue to maintain its value relative to earnings over time.

Burnham said savings generated by the proposed change would help finance a National Care Service that would be free at the point of use and would not require people to pay care charges from their basic state pension. He also pledged that low-income pensioners would not be brought into income tax during the current parliament.

The prime minister also outlined plans for housing, energy and public utilities. He called for increased construction of council homes and announced proposals to strengthen public control of the water sector. He also confirmed plans for a new publicly backed electricity-grid body, GB Grid.

Addressing Britain’s relationship with the European Union, Burnham said Brexit had “done more harm than good” and indicated that he would set out options for a longer-term relationship with European partners around a forthcoming UK-EU summit.

Burnham also outlined plans for changes to the welfare system and measures aimed at supporting young people into employment, while emphasizing that government spending would remain subject to fiscal rules.

The proposals represent a broad policy agenda covering pensions, social care, electoral reform, housing, energy, welfare and the UK’s future relationship with the European Union.