Andy Burnham has promised to use “whatever political capital I have” to fix the crumbling social care system in England, warning that without rapid action the NHS could effectively collapse. In his first full interview since becoming prime minister last week, Burnham told the BBC he would go “as quickly as I can on the reform” but could not put a timetable on a new system.
But on his first full day in office, Burnham also made a move that critics say undermines the government’s ambitions in science and technology. He abolished the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, spreading its responsibilities across four other departments – a decision that, according to former political adviser Eliot Wilson, “set back the UK’s approach to science policy by several years.”
“Burnham vows to fix social care or NHS 'could collapse', but axes science department on first day”
Burnham has repeatedly said he hopes to tackle a political issue that has been neglected by governments, highlighting personal experience with his father, who has Alzheimer’s disease and requires care. Asked whether he would create an entirely new system before the next election, the prime minister said he would go as quickly as he could on its “reform”, adding that a completely new system would take time.
“I think there are major changes you can make before the next election. This costs the NHS billions of pounds, and we will never get the NHS back to good waiting time standards until we fix social care,” he said.
Burnham also said the UK had to “get really serious as a country” about reducing the amount spent on social security and other benefits, but added that he did not want to demonise people who claimed social security. Asked whether there were people claiming benefits who did not need them, he replied that young people in their 20s had been “quite seriously let down because the support wasn’t there for them when it should have been.”
The twin moves – a bold promise on social care and a swift dismantling of a key department – signal a prime minister willing to take risks, but leave unanswered questions about how he will reconcile the immense investment needed for social care with the potential fallout from downgrading the UK’s science infrastructure.