Andy Burnham's speech at the Labor Party Conference: A break with political speak

“Politician talk” has contributed significantly to disillusionment with politics in Western democracies. All too often, empty words and phrases become meaningless sentences, which then lead to pre-cut speeches.

We've become so used to this risk-free "political talk" that British Prime Minister Andy Burnham's speech at the Labor Party conference in Liverpool seemed like a message from another time: honest, courageous, far-sighted. In Britain you have to go back to Tony Blair to find similar political talent. In Germany even further to Helmut Schmidt and Willy Brandt.

Burnham's speech was honest because the Prime Minister exposed three of the kingdom's chronic problems: the crisis of the welfare state in an aging society, the failed Brexit and a majority voting system that no longer does justice to a fragmented political landscape.

His appearance was courageous because Burnham's pension reform requires many citizens to make sacrifices in order to prevent a national nursing crisis. What is also daring is that he is finally breaking the Brexit taboo that has held British politics captive since leaving the EU: leaving the EU was a mistake that urgently needs to be corrected.