The run up to the speech was dominated by speculation about whether Burnham would scrap the state pension triple lock, which guarantees increases in line with the highest of inflation, earnings or 2.5%.
In the end, it was a bit more nuanced than that.
He said he would “honour” Labour’s commitment to keep the triple lock until the end of the current Parliament.
But from April 2030, the state pension would rise every year by inflation or 2.5%, whichever is higher, under Burnham’s plans – and it will be increased in some years if needed to keep pace with average worker earnings.
The change, he said, would “generate significant savings” to fund his long-held ambition of creating a National Care Service in England.
“I accept I may pay a political price,” he told the conference.
“But someone has to go through the pain barrier and rip the plaster off.”
