Nigel Farage (Image: James Veysey/Shutterstock)
Nigel Farage has launched a scathing attack on Andy Burnham after the Prime Minister invited Labour, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats to cross-party talks on England’s social care crisis while excluding Reform UK. Party leader Mr Farage accused Mr Burnham of “uniparty in action”, claiming he had shut his party out despite it having “led over 300 national opinion polls and represents thousands of councillors and millions of Britons across the country”.
Mr Farage added: “It’s now clear that Burnham is conspiring behind closed doors with the failed political establishment to foist further tax rises on the country.” Mr Burnham has invited opposition parties to Wednesday’s meeting, saying he wants to “build that spirit of collaboration from the start” as he pledges to put “everything I’ve got” into fixing England‘s struggling adult social care system.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham (Image: Lauren Hurley / No 10 Downing Street)
The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats accepted the invitation, although Tory leader Kemi Badenoch will not attend in person.
A Conservative spokesman said shadow health secretary Stuart Andrew would represent the party instead.
A Tory source criticised the short notice, saying: “It’s almost like it’s only being done for show.”
Mr Andrew said the Conservatives were “ready to work with Labour on measures that improve social care provided they are not reliant on yet more tax rises and borrowing”.
Mrs Badenoch has also written to Mr Burnham urging him to rule out tax rises or increased borrowing to fund any reforms.
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Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey will join the talks via Zoom, explaining on X that he is in France with his family.
“I’m hopeful this call may prove to be the first step towards fixing our broken care service,” he wrote.
Mr Burnham said successive governments had ducked reform because it had been seen as “too risky, too difficult, and too complicated”.
Ahead of a speech in London, he insisted the time for “playing politics” was over.
He said: “Last week I said we needed 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.”
Mr Burnham added: “Politicians might have different views, but I’m serious about fixing this issue and to do that, we have to find common ground and listen to others to find a way forward.”
He said reform came down to “a choice”, adding he was “prepared to put everything I’ve got behind it”.
The talks come after ministers insisted there are “no plans” for a so-called “death tax” following reports Mr Burnham could revive proposals first put forward when he was Labour’s health secretary in 2010.
At the time, he suggested a levy on estates to help fund a national care service, although the plans were abandoned after fierce opposition from the Conservatives, who branded them a “death tax”.
Mr Burnham has frequently spoken about the issue through personal experience, with his father living with Alzheimer’s in a care home.
On Wednesday he will also visit a care home alongside Baroness Louise Casey, who is leading the Government’s independent review of adult social care.
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She is expected to launch a “Big Conversation on Care”, inviting the public to give their views on how the system should operate, what people should contribute and the role of the state.
Lady Casey has pointed out there have been 22 attempts to reform social care since 1997, none of which, she said, had “fixed the foundations”.
Ahead of the visit she said: “For too long, we have been stuck in the same cycle: crisis, promises of reform, another review and then retreat, while the people who need care, and their families, bear the brunt.”
She added: “The choice is whether we keep putting money into a system that is unfair, unpredictable and broken, or have an honest conversation about how to build something better.”
The Royal College of Nursing said all political parties had “a moral responsibility” to back meaningful reform, while health experts warned sustained political commitment would be needed to tackle one of the biggest long-term pressures facing the NHS and social care system.