Burnham backs Miliband and says Labour will be ‘principled’ in pursuing a two-state solution

The prime minister then backed Miliband, whose approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has included a toughening of his rhetoric on Israel along with imposition of sanctions against settlements in the West Bank.

Burnham told his party faithful: “We will be principled in our leadership in securing a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine, as Ed Miliband has shown.”

The foreign secretary told activists on Monday that the UK’s decision to act on the West Bank had “mobilised the international community, country after country”.

He praised pro-Palestine activists, saying: “I want to say to the millions of people in this country and indeed elsewhere who have been moved and outraged by the plight of the Palestinian people: we hear you. You were right.”

In his own speech to party conference, the prime minister said Britain had been on the wrong path for a “long time”.

"Deindustrialisation, deregulation, privatisation, austerity, Brexit, and what has it given us? A country run for vested interest, not in the public interest, with power held in too few hands and too many places left to drift, I am ready to do things my predecessors wouldn't.

He continued: “I will make a break with the direction of the past 40 years and put Britain on a new path, build a new economy and a new politics.”

The former mayor of Greater Manchester also took aim at the Conservatives and Reform UK, saying that the “British right talk about taking back control. Never let them forget. They are the ones that gave it away in the first place,” he said to huge cheers from Labour members.

He also said that water companies and the lack of control over them had become a “symbol of what has gone wrong with Britain”.

Burnham then added that his government would introduce legislation to “repeal of Margaret Thatcher's ideological ban on public ownership of water companies” and give mayors greater power to hold them to account.

Although the prime minister said that he would not change his party’s manifesto commitment to the triple lock in this Parliament, he confirmed future plans to change the current arrangement.

“In April 2030, we will adjust it. The state pension will continue to rise every year, at least by prices or 2.5 per cent and it will hold its value relative to earnings over time, so that pensions will always share in the rising prosperity of the nation.”

That change, he said, would “generate significant savings”, which would be used to fund a National Care Service, which he described as “a person-centred, high-quality care service that starts in the home.”

“A system in the best traditions of this party, where everyone contributes and everyone is covered, free at the point of use, and no care charges paid out of your basic state pension.

“Care that is about people, not profit, which gives peace of mind over care needs in later life, which protects people’s homes and their savings, and gives proper recognition to the care workers we will all need to rely on at some point in our lives.”

He continued: “We are going to do it. A landmark policy as significant as the creation of the NHS itself, and utterly essential to securing its future.

A keen supporter of electoral reform, the Labour leader said that his party’s annual conference had twice backed measures to change the voting system to Parliament. He added that Labour’s manifesto at the next general election would feature a pledge to change the voting system.

Some Jewish parliamentarians welcomed the speech.

Hendon MP David Pinto-Duschinsky said: “What we saw here, the mood was electric, we saw hope and hope based on honesty, a real plan for the next ten years to take the bold and brave decisions.”

Wirral West MP Matthew Patrick said the speech was the highest quality he has ever heard.

“I have been doing this for 16 years, and I am not sure I have seen a speech of that quality; it was hopeful, it was authentic.”

He said it was good to hear from a prime minister who was clear about “having a plan – and if you agree with the plan, get behind it.”

Baroness Berger told the JC that she felt “uplifted” and more moved by Burnham’s speech than any speech she had ever heard at a Labour Party conference.

“That was one of the most significant speeches we have had from a Labour leader. I have been coming to this conference for over 25 years; I have not heard a speech that has moved me to tears in all of that time.

“His defence of the United Kingdom was significant and a really important point to be making. He brought ideas, he brought hope and he also laid out a plan. He said how we are going to do it. It was the honesty. He was speaking to the country and not this room. Too many former speeches have been [addressed] to the Labour Party rather than the country and at this moment, it is about talking about trying to rewire the country.”

Berger also recognised Burnham’s gratitude towards Sir Kier Starmer.

“It was absolutely right that he thanked the former prime minister for his contribution.”

She said there was “lots to do” when Parliamentarians return to Westminster, “it was ambitious.”

However, not all former Labour MPs reacted with such exuberance.

Lord Walney, the former independent government adviser on political violence and disruption, said the speech was too “fleeting” on immigration.

“I understand why in this environment they want to set out why bold determination can win back some of the left, but I hope they will remember that the number one concern of a big part of the coalition that they need to win is very concerned about the effect on communities and the security of immigration.

“It would be a mistake if the wider programme to communicate with voters is as fleeting with voters on those issues as his speech was today,” Walney said.

He added that the speech was “was very powerful and clearly is a break” from previous Labour speeches, “it will energise a lot of the base.”