PM Burnham to commit to ‘doing things differently’ at Welsh Labour conference

Prime Minister Andy Burnham will pledge to “do things differently” and put power in every Welsh community at his first Welsh Labour conference since becoming party leader.

Speaking to delegates in Llandudno later today, Burnham will praise Welsh Labour’s record of standing up for Wales and the progress the party made for communities across the nation after Labour “gave Wales the voice it was entitled to” through devolution.

However, he will also address the scale of Welsh Labour’s election defeat in May and stress the need to “go deeper” in delivering for the people of wales to ensure it is not left behind as he works to reindustrialise the country.

Burnham is expected to say: “We have to listen. We have to take stock. And we have to commit to doing things differently. But we have to go further than that too. Because, let’s be honest, politicians have always said they’ll listen more.

“After years of slogans, speeches and big-ticket items on the sides of buses, people have lost faith in those words. And I don’t blame them. So, this time, we’ve got to do more than talk about giving people a voice. We’ve got to give them real power over the decisions that shape their lives.

“Twenty-seven years ago, that’s what Labour set out to do. We took power out of Westminster and gave Wales the voice it was entitled to. And that was a huge step forward – but it was never supposed to be the end of the road. Devolution was never just about moving power from Westminster to Cardiff. We were always supposed to keep pushing power down and out until it reached every postcode.

“And I think that’s the challenge for us today. For everyone in this room and for everyone in our party. To push further. To go deeper. To make sure Welsh Labour is not just the party that built devolution, but the party that takes it forward once again.

“The party that stands up for those towns, cities and communities that have been overlooked. That believes in their people and what they can achieve. And that never stops fighting to put more power into their hands.

“Because if the first three decades of devolution were about giving Wales a stronger national voice. Together, we can make the next three about giving every region, every town and every community in Wales that voice too.”

His speech will come ahead of a report into Welsh Labour’s election defeat, as well as a keynote speech by new Welsh Labour leader Ken Skates, who is expected to acknowledge that the result needs to be a fundamental reset moment for the party.