Photo credit: UK Prime Minister , CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Andy Burnham has formally taken office as Prime Minister and has announced his first Cabinet, setting out the team that will help deliver the Government’s priorities. The appointments bring together experienced ministers and some new faces, with an early focus on economic stability, public services and tackling the cost of living.
For pensioners and those in later life, there are some early indications of continuity in key policy areas. During the Labour leadership campaign, Burnham reaffirmed his support for maintaining the State Pension triple lock, describing it as an important commitment to pensioners. He has also highlighted the need for long-term reform of health and social care, recognising the importance of creating a more sustainable system to meet growing demand. In his first speech outside Downing Street yesterday (20 July), he acknowledged the need to “raise the game” and to meet the challenges facing the country, reiterating his criticism of the political and economic approach of the past 40 years.
Several of the issues Burnham referred to during the Makerfield by-election and his leadership campaign closely align with several of our own, CSPA campaign priorities. We have consistently called for measures that help protect pensioners’ incomes, including support for the State Pension triple lock and a reduction in pensioner taxation, alongside improvements to health and social care that would enable people to live independently and with dignity for longer. Whilst the detail of the new Government’s programme will become clearer in the coming months, areas like these will be of particular interest to our members, so we will continue to monitor them closely.
CSPA General Secretary, Sally Tsoukaris, said:
“CSPA will be writing to Andy Burnham to congratulate him on his appointment and to highlight the issues of key concern to CSPA members.
“He has said that he is committed to the State Pension triple lock and prioritised tackling the ongoing cost-of-living crisis. Key to this is the need to increase Personal Income Thresholds to reduce the numbers of pensioners and others on lower incomes being drawn into paying tax each year.
“Andy Burnham has indicated his commitment to the early reform of social care provision and the implementation of a national care framework.
“CSPA looks forward to further announcements in this regard and to seeing these commitments being realised in Andy Burnham’s promised 10 Year Plan for Britain and the new Chancellor, John Healey’s first Budget in the Autumn.
