Burnham pledges to offer social care reform at next election

LONDON, Sept 27: Prime Minister Andy Burnham pledged on Sunday to present his proposal to tackle Britain's social care crisis at the next national election, saying it would be free at the point of use, with the cost spread across the population.

At the beginning of his first Labour Party conference as prime minister, Burnham used an interview with the BBC to set out his plans for social care, a pricey issue he said resonated for him after his father died earlier this month in a care home.

Yet, despite saying it was one of his priorities, the former Manchester mayor said he would not present his social care plans until the next national election, due by mid-2029, offering some relief to a government wanting to avoid the prospect of major tax rises.

"I am going to go show leadership on this issue ... I won’t dodge the difficult questions. I am going to rip the plaster off, if I can put it that way, because someone has to do it," he said.�" REUTERS