𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Andy Burnham set out to unravel the legacy of Margaret Thatcher as he set out plans to move Britain unashamedly to the left. He vowed to reverse her policy of allowing council tenants to buy their own homes, and scrap Tory legislation that prevented the government from nationalising private firms.

In a speech received with rapturous applause at Labour’s annual conference, Mr Burnham announced that future council tenants will lose the right to buy their homes. Residents in new council homes will be barred from buying them – while empty homes that are owned by private landlords will be taken over by councils. The Prime Minister also warned that councils could seize occupied homes rented out by private landlords, if they are in a poor state.

Existing council tenants will not lose the right to buy, he said. Mr Burnham signalled a massive growth in state power as he complained that state-owned services had been sold off. Mr Burnham said: “I will make a break with the direction of the past 40 years and put Britain on a new path”.

He claimed the UK took the wrong path in the 1980s – with water, transport and care services “broken up and sold off”. He added: “Later this year we will publish our plan for Britain. It will set out how over 10 years we will make this country work for you again. More control over the basics.”

And he told Labour activists that he would end Margaret Thatcher’s “ideological ban” on public ownership of water companies.

Referring to his long journey to Number 10, Mr Burnham spoke about his family’s background in Liverpool. He said his grandad drove a lorry along Liverpool’s docks and spoke about his grandmother putting down a deposit on a house in the city. The Prime Minister pledged to put Britain “on a new path”.

And he said: “Imagine living in a Britain where people feel the country as got their back again”.

Mr Burnham pointed out that he was “ten weeks into this job”.

And he paid tribute to former Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, saying: “Thank you Keir”.

He said he “became an outsider from the Westminster club” because of his frustration with the failure of central government to deal with issues such as social care.

“Everyone knows things are not working as they should … everyone wants less drift and more direction”.

“Britain has been on the wrong path for a long time.”