Burnham is to launch Great British Grid to bring UK energy costs in line with Europe WITHIN A DECADE
From the Newshound archive · first published 29 September 2026.
Andy Burnham, who is expected to signal that the government may place Thames Water into special administration if a rescue plan for the debt-laden utility falls apart.Pensioners in retirement. Chancellor John Healey has repeatedly refused to guarantee the pensions triple lock past the next election, fuelling speculation Andy Burnham will signal its abolition to fund his £18bn social…
Prime Minister Andy Burnham will use his Liverpool Labour conference address on Tuesday — his first as party leader — to unveil Great British Grid, a new state-owned electricity body. GB Grid will compete against private companies for transmission connection investment, drawing on the existing Great British Energy budget. Burnham will describe Britain's energy costs as 'crippling' and pledge to bring them into line with European levels within ten years, condemning the present market as 'broken'.
GB Grid will mark the return of public ownership to electricity networks for the first time since Margaret Thatcher privatised the sector.
Burnham is also expected to signal willingness to put Thames Water into special administration if a private bailout fails.
Energy shares slipped on Tuesday morning as markets digested the nationalisation push ahead of the speech.
