At his first Labour conference as leader and prime minister, Andy Burnham promised a new direction for the UK, saying the decade since the Brexit vote had brought “drift and division.” He ruled out an early election, rejecting speculation about a contest before 2029.
A YouGov MRP poll indicated Labour would be the largest party in a snap election but would fall short of a majority. The projections put Reform UK and the Conservatives neck and neck, with neither able to form a government alone. Labour chair Bridget Phillipson said the only poll that would matter was election day in 2029.
Senior Labour figures also raised disagreements over economic policy and immigration. Peter Kyle said the government needed short-term measures to boost growth, such as slowing the rollout of new workers’ rights, while saying he was not criticizing Burnham. Angela Rayner opposed Shabana Mahmood’s plan to lengthen foreign social care workers’ route to permanent settlement; other Labour figures also oppose the plan, which could prompt a conference row.
