Lead

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has pledged to work collaboratively with other parties to find a lasting solution on social care, setting out a strategy to tackle what he described as one of the most intractable issues in British politics. In a speech on Wednesday, Burnham said he would lead cross-party talks and invited Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch and Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey to discuss how to enact urgent reform. However, the Conservatives have ruled out backing any changes funded by tax rises or borrowing, and senior Labour and Liberal Democrat figures have privately cast doubt on Burnham’s ability to find a cross-party consensus, as reported by The Guardian.

Coverage comparison

The Guardian reported across several articles that Burnham, who has a working majority of 166 in the Commons, does not need Tory votes to pass social care legislation but wants a cross-party agreement to ensure the reforms survive a change of government. The prime minister has said he wants to build a different way of doing politics with more problem solving and less point scoring, and noted that both Badenoch and Davey had reached out over the weekend to say they were prepared to engage in talks. However, the Tories have imposed their own red lines, including a refusal to back tax rises or borrowing to fund reform. Reform UK has said it would oppose anything that amounts to a radical tax grab, according to The Guardian.

Key claims

  • Andy Burnham has pledged to work collaboratively with other parties to find a lasting solution on social care, as reported by The Guardian.
  • The Conservatives have ruled out backing changes funded by tax rises or borrowing, a claim carried by The Guardian.
  • The pressure on the National Health Service as a result of the failure to reform social care is huge, according to The Guardian.
  • Andy Burnham said the assisted dying debate needs to wait until palliative care and social care are fixed, as reported by The Guardian.
  • The prime minister wants to build a different way of doing politics with more problem solving, less point scoring, a claim carried by The Guardian.
  • Wes Streeting said Burnham would focus on big and difficult issues, including reforming social care, according to The Guardian.
  • Burnham pledged to use his political capital to fix the social care system in England, as reported by The Guardian.
  • Reform UK has said they would oppose anything that amounts to a radical tax grab, a claim carried by The Guardian.
  • The prime minister is committed to exploring a new system that would be free at the point of use, similar to the NHS, according to The Guardian.
  • Kemi Badenoch said the Conservatives would only support reforms funded by spending cuts, as reported by The Guardian.

Perspectives

Government (Prime Minister Andy Burnham)

Burnham has promised problem-solving not point-scoring, saying: “We need a different kind of politics: problem-solving, not point-scoring. Nowhere is that more urgent than social care. For decades, governments have kicked this issue down the road because they’ve seen it as too risky, too difficult, and too complicated.” He added that he would try to start with short-term agreements between parties and then build towards a longer-term solution.

Conservatives

Leader Kemi Badenoch has said the party would only support reforms funded by spending cuts, and has ruled out backing changes funded by tax rises or borrowing. The Guardian reported that the Tories imposed their own red lines amid negative headlines about inheritance tax.

Liberal Democrats

Leader Ed Davey has indicated willingness to engage in talks, according to Burnham, though senior Liberal Democrat figures have privately cast doubt on the prospects for a cross-party consensus, as reported by The Guardian.

Reform UK

The party has said it would oppose anything that amounts to a radical tax grab, a claim carried by The Guardian.

Labour MPs

Several Labour MPs have expressed concern over how to manage the financial burden of a reformed care sector, according to The Guardian.