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Andy Burnham is poised to introduce a new public entity aimed at investing in the UK’s electricity infrastructure during his inaugural party conference speech as Labour leader on Tuesday. Speaking to party members in Liverpool, Burnham will reveal plans for a state-owned company, tentatively named Great British Grid, which is intended to accelerate connection projects by fostering greater competition in the electricity grid sector.
This initiative is set to form a central part of Burnham’s strategy to align UK energy costs with those seen across Europe within the next decade. He has pledged to engage in an “honest conversation” with the public about energy challenges, addressing pressing issues that have long been neglected. The creation of the Great British Grid represents a significant step toward Burnham’s broader goal of increasing public control over utility services, a theme he emphasized in his recent bid for power.
The new entity will compete alongside the three private companies currently managing the British electricity grid, investing in and bidding for transmission connection projects. Labour has also proposed measures to ease the financial burden on companies awaiting grid connections, allowing them to fund the infrastructure themselves with support and potential co-investment from Great British Grid. Funding for this body is expected to come from the existing budget of GB Energy, a public green investment company established by Labour last year and now based in Aberdeen.
Beyond energy policy, Burnham has committed to offering “bold and honest” leadership, aiming to present policies that provide a tangible vision for Britain’s future while giving people greater control over their lives. Although initially intending to deliver a traditional conference speech, Burnham described how his sense of patriotism led him to pursue a more thoughtful and serious approach. His message of hope comes at a time when the government faces a challenging Budget, constrained by recent increases in borrowing costs. He has also pledged to outline how he plans to finance his proposal to offer free social care services in England, a policy to be presented to voters ahead of the next general election, which must take place by August 2029 at the latest, with a rollout expected by 2030.
Speculation surrounds possible changes to the “triple lock” pension uprating policy, which guarantees annual pension increases by the highest of 2.5%, inflation, or average wage growth. This policy is expected to add substantial costs over time due to the UK’s aging population. While Downing Street has not confirmed any review, ministers maintain that Labour’s manifesto commitment to uphold the triple lock throughout the current parliament remains firm. However, Chancellor John Healey refrained from confirming that the triple lock would be featured in the next election manifesto, stating, “The manifesto will be the manifesto at the time, I’m not going to do that now.” Meanwhile, Unite union leader Sharon Graham warned that abandoning the triple lock would amount to “electoral suicide.
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