Andy Burnham has called for politicians to put party politics aside in an effort to tackle what he described as one of Britain's longest-running policy failures, as senior figures from the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives prepare to take part in cross-party discussions on social care.
The Mayor of Greater Manchester has argued that governments of all colours have failed to resolve the issue, saying successive administrations have viewed reform as "too risky, too difficult and too complicated."
Speaking ahead of the meeting, Burnham said:
"We can't kick this can down the road any longer."
He continued:
"It's time to draw a line under people playing politics when the human cost of that means carers struggling, families paying the price and our NHS buckling under the strain."
Burnham said he was committed to finding "common ground" across political parties in order to build a care system that provides people with "dignity, security and the support they deserve."
He concluded:
"I'm prepared to put everything I've got behind it."
Ed Davey Welcomes the Initiative
Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey, who has frequently spoken publicly about his own experience as a family carer, welcomed Burnham's attempt to move the debate forward.
Davey said social care remained a deeply personal issue for him and described widespread frustration among unpaid carers.
"When I speak to so many other family carers... they're pretty angry that the system keeps letting them down."
He argued that the current system leaves patients in hospital unnecessarily, places pressure on the NHS and often fails to recognise the contribution made by family carers.
Referring to Burnham, Davey said:
"Andy Burnham has his own experience as a family carer... so I hope this time we really are on a journey to fix this."
He added:
"Let's hope so."
Conservative Participation
The meeting is also expected to include Conservative representation, with Stuart Andrew attending after Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch was unable to do so.
Burnham has presented the discussions as an opportunity to seek areas of agreement rather than pursue party political advantage.
Reform UK Criticises Exclusion
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage criticised the decision not to invite his party to the talks.
Writing on X, Farage said:
"If Andy Burnham is serious about putting politics aside to solve Britain's biggest problems, it's remarkable that he's chosen to ignore Reform."
Farage accused Burnham of:
"Conspiring behind closed doors with the failed political establishment to foist further tax rises on the country."
He also criticised the involvement of the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives, adding:
"The fact Ed Davey and Kemi Badenoch are going along with this tells you all you need to know. This is the uniparty in action."
Long-Running Challenge
Successive governments have pledged to reform England's social care system, but major long-term changes have repeatedly been delayed.
Burnham's initiative seeks to build political consensus on an issue that affects millions of older people, disabled people, unpaid carers and the wider NHS.
Whether the talks lead to concrete proposals remains to be seen, but they represent one of the latest attempts to break years of political deadlock over one of the UK's most complex domestic policy challenges.
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