Andy Burnham plans to establish a new publicly-owned entity called "Great British Grid" during Labour's conference in Liverpool on Tuesday. This initiative aims to increase competition and expedite electricity grid connections, particularly for businesses and major projects, as part of his push towards nationalization. The government will allocate £4 billion from taxpayer funds to support this effort, which also includes proposals for greater state control over water and housing sectors. Critics argue that creating another quango may distract from more urgent measures needed to reduce energy costs.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-29,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Andy Burnham, newly elected leader of the Labour Party, delivered his first speech as leader at the party's conference in Liverpool on Wednesday. The speech was emotional and covered bold policies such as reforming social care and electoral systems, drawing mixed reactions from attendees and media outlets.
Burnham choked up while discussing his father who recently passed away, a moment that resonated deeply with the audience. He admitted to wanting to move faster on cost-of-living measures but stressed fiscal honesty about what Britain can afford. The speech was seen by some as one of the most memorable in recent years, with former BBC political editor Andrew Marr comparing it favorably to Tony Blair's speeches.
Critics like Mail Online’s Quentin Letts were less impressed, describing the emotional tone and policy promises as overly sentimental and sugar-coated. Meanwhile, supporters praised Burnham for his relatability and commitment to addressing working-class concerns, potentially appealing to voters who had drifted away from Labour under Keir Starmer.
The speech also touched on plans for electoral reform, aiming to introduce proportional representation in Westminster elections, a significant change since 1918. This move is seen as part of Burnham's strategy to transform the UK’s political system fundamentally, though some within the party are wary about such dramatic changes given current fiscal constraints and public opinion.
Written for “Andy Burnham Labour Speeches” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 24 other(s) covering the same event.
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Andy Burnham will create a new publicly-owned 'Great British Grid' as part of his nationalisation drive.
The new body is intended to boost competition and speed up electricity grid connections for businesses and major projects.
asserted
body → see → businesses
It will be the first publicly-owned player in electricity networks since privatisation under Margaret Thatcher some 36 years ago.
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It → own → Thatcher
The Prime Minister is set to announce the plans in his keynote speech at Labour's conference in Liverpool on Tuesday afternoon.
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Minister → set → afternoon
His address is also expected to include proposals for greater state control of water and housing.
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address → expect → water
GB Grid is expected to get access to a pot of £4billion of taxpayers' cash that has already been allocated to Great British Energy, which was set up under Keir Starmer.
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which → expect → Starmer
Mr Burnham has set a target of reducing energy costs so that they are in line with other European nations within the next decade.
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they → set → decade
But critics said the Government's creation of 'yet another quango' would be a 'sideshow' to the 'serious work' needed to bring down energy costs.
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creation → say → costs
Andy Burnham will create a new publicly-owned 'Great British Grid' as part of his nationalisation drive
The new body is intended to boost competition and speed up electricity grid connections for businesses and major projects
The PM will say in his speech on Tuesday that GB Grid will bring 'more public control' to help reform the 'broken energy market'.
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Grid → create → market
The body is expected to use public funding to help build more grid connections, as well as to maximise and speed up the rollout of renewable energy across the UK.
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body → expect → UK
It follows complaints about how long it takes to get a grid connection for new buildings and projects.
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it → follow → buildings
There are also fears that the UK's electricity networks will be unable to cope with soaring demand for connections from new data centres needed to power AI.
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networks → be → AI
Mr Burnham will tell Labour members in Liverpool: 'We have a cost crisis.
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We → tell → crisis
We all know it.
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We → know → it
The price of energy is crippling for businesses, and British billpayers pay some of the highest energy costs in Europe.
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billpayers → pay → Europe
'We have an energy system where prices are dictated in markets miles away, while families and businesses here shoulder the costs.
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families → have → costs
Once again, the British public has lost control.
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public → lose → control
'Within ten years, I want our energy costs to be in line with other nations in Europe.
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costs → want → Europe
That means we must reform a broken energy market so it serves the public interest.
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it → mean → interest
I can announce today our plan for Great British Grid, a publicly-owned company that will work with the private sector and network companies.
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that → announce → sector
'It will increase competition to drive down costs and speed up delivery so businesses can connect faster and grow quicker.
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businesses → increase → delivery
This is what more public control can do.
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control → do → what
Labour will also give businesses rights to 'self-build' their connection infrastructure and make GB Grid available to co-invest, taking away the need to wait for network companies.
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Grid → give → companies
GB Grid will work with the private sector and network companies.
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Grid → work → sector
Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh said the move was 'another step towards mending the decades of Tory policies which ripped out public control from our energy systems'.
'Because the only way to bring down bills for good for homes and businesses is through clean power we can control,' she added.
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she → say → power
But senior Tory MP Andrew Bowie, the shadow energy secretary, said: 'Great British Grid will become Great British Gridlock if Labour continue to pile on green levies and taxes – this is what is holding back our energy system.
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what → say → system
Burnham wants to nationalise the network so Labour can cram on more subsidised wind farms, and families will pay twice over.
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families → want → farms
'The Conservatives would get out of the way, letting businesses build their own gas power and grid connections and bid openly for capacity, and cutting electricity costs for every business through our Cheap Power Plan.'
Sam Richards, CEO of pro-growth campaign group Britain Remade, said: 'Instead of doing the serious work of bringing down bills by introducing local pricing and pushing forward further planning reform, Andy Burnham is setting up yet another quango.
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Burnham → get → quango
Britain needs more competition and fewer barriers to new energy projects, not more government bureaucracy with a grand name.'
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Britain → need → name
The Aporia
