Makerfield BBC by-election debate live: Burnham and Reform’s controversy-hit Kenyon to face off in first hustings

Andy Burnham said if he became prime minister he would start transforming the collapsing social care system this year, including reviewing inheritance tax and care costs to help fund it.

In an interview with GuardThe mayor of Greater Manchester said: “There is an urgent need to fix social care and personally I would look at any consequences of that for inheritance tax, care costs and everything else. I wouldn’t shy away from that.”

In recent years he has talked about replacing inheritance tax with a progressive “care tax” to fund the national care service.

He accused Westminster of “avoiding” tackling tough policy issues and said politicians must be willing to take on the “weight of the system” that stands in the way of radical change.

Burnham first tried to change the social care system in 2009, when she was Labour’s health secretary and planned to tax properties to pay for universal social care.

He suggested bringing forward the Casey review, which will prepare recommendations for changes from 2028. He said he wants it to be published by the end of this year, focusing on measures that can be implemented quickly.

Andy Burnham needs Blair’s winning formula but also needs to prove to skeptical Labor that the Blair days are behind him, political editor David Maddox says:

Labour’s Andy Burnham and Reform England’s Robert Kenyon will face off in a special edition of BBC Question Time ahead of the Makerfield by-election.

They will be joined by other candidates from the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and Greens.

The program will start on BBC One at 10.40pm, immediately after the 10am news, and will also be available on BBC iPlayer from 9pm.

You can listen to the episode live on the BBC Sounds app starting at 21.00 or follow the broadcast on the BBC News website/app.