Burnham says wide tax rises for National Care Service are needed. But he’ll need to pitch them with a new manifesto…
“There are commitments in the manifesto that would make it hard to do in this Parliament… [I] will develop a very clear plan, and I will put that plan to the public at a general election.
“That will be that will be where the plan gets tested. And people will then be able to decide.
“And I am prepared to put myself in that position, recognising that it might be difficult or unpopular with some, but that is the way to do it, to get that endorsement and then introduce the system in the next Parliament.”
He eventually said – after repeated questions from Laura Kuenssberg – that his leader’s speech on Tuesday would contain details of the areas in which he will cut spending…
Bookmark this from Andy Burnham:
2029: “that’s when the next election will be.”
May 2027: “Absolutely not.”
“No election any time soon.”
“All of this speculation on an early election, I can knock that dead.”