BASW sets out their stall to new Prime Minister
The former Mayor of Greater Manchester, who was recently elected MP for Makerfield, has secured enough nominations from Labour backbenchers to become the new leader of the party and therefore Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
It follows the resignation of Sir Keir Starmer on 22 June, which triggered a leadership election. However, Mr Burnham has run unopposed, making it a swift transition to the top of British politics.
BASW enjoyed a positive working relationship with Ministers and government departments under Sir Keir’s premiership. Several of our priority asks from our Manifesto for Social Work – including raising the mileage allowance rate, scrapping the two-child limit, and introducing a new Mental Health Act – happened under his leadership.
Despite some successes, we know that more needs to be delivered by this government to promote a stronger social work profession, tackle hardship, and achieve a fairer society. BASW’s mission in that regard does not change, and we are determined to work closely with Mr Burnham and his cabinet to meet the aims set out in our manifesto.
BASW gets foot in the door early
Mr Burnham has been a strong social work ally and supporter of BASW during his time in politics.
He was the keynote speaker at BASW England Conference in 2022 and also at the Social Work in Disasters Conference in 2019.
We want to use these close and established ties with Mr Burnham and his team to our advantage now that he occupies the highest job in government.
BASW Interim CEO, Professor Sam Baron has therefore written to Mr Burnham to highlight the issues that BASW is actively campaigning on for our members, the profession, and wider society, and urge him to consider our asks as he forms his government and vision for the country.
The main points we have set out to him are the need for a sharper and more concentrated focus from Ministers on improving working conditions, exempting social workers from the proposed new ‘earned settlement’ rules, abolishing the National Age Assessment Board, and ditching plans for AI facial age estimation technology.
Need for “Ambitious Action & Progressive Policies”
Prof. Baron has called on Mr Burnham to make it his mission from day one to run a government that puts people and communities at its heart, ensuring that the changes that he has promised translates into outcomes that make tangible improvements to our day-to-day lives. She explained:
“People are scunnered with a political system that for too long hasn’t listened to them nor improved their living standards and life prospects. The country is crying out for a government that delivers progressive policies and ambitious action which addresses widening inequality and commits the resources sorely needed for social work and social care systems to function properly.
“BASW has had positive working relations with Mr Burnham in the past and his support and recognition of the vital role of social workers has been very welcome. He has also been a longstanding champion of the Hillsborough Law Now campaign, which BASW has similarly proudly supported.
“We look forward to reconnecting with him and his ministerial team to find opportunities for delivering our manifesto aims for a stronger social work profession, better working conditions, and a fairer society.”
