Andy Burnham Announces Housing Seizures and Electoral Reform

Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced a sweeping strategy to expand government authority and rebuild the public realm during a speech at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool. A central pillar of the plan is a crackdown on rogue landlords, specifically those who collect housing benefits without maintaining properties. Under the new strategy, landlords of the worst-quality homes will be ordered to make improvements; those who refuse face having their properties seized by local councils to be returned to public housing stock.

Burnham pledged leasehold reform legislation before Christmas to prevent leaseholders from being squeezed for every penny and announced a major council housebuilding program. To preserve housing for future generations, he proposed modifying the Right to Buy scheme and reducing deposit requirements for first-time buyers. Beyond housing, the Prime Minister proposed public ownership for failing water companies and the decoupling of domestic energy prices from the international gas market.

On governance and social policy, Burnham announced a national commission to investigate proportional representation to reform the electoral system. He also proposed a reduction in the annual triple-lock pension increase to fund a National Care Service providing free personal care for older people. Addressing the United Kingdom's international standing, Burnham argued that Brexit has done more harm than good and suggested exploring a closer relationship with the European Union.