Andy Burnham is set to deliver his first speech as prime minister to the House of Commons on Tuesday, as Parliament returns from recess, focusing on the cost-of-living crisis and his pledge to bring more essential services back under public control. The address marks the first time his summer policy announcements will face direct scrutiny from MPs, with Kemi Badenoch and her newly reshuffled shadow cabinet sitting opposite and Reform leader Nigel Farage expected to be sworn in as an MP following his Clacton by-election win.

According to reports, Mr Burnham will tell MPs he wants to "bring back hope", with Andrew Griffith now serving as shadow chancellor in place of Sir Mel Stride. Polling experts have told The Independent that the so-called "Burnham bounce" in Labour support has faded and will not be sufficient to secure a general election win. Separately, justice secretary Alex Norris confirmed letters are being sent to victims of offenders facing early release, inviting input on restrictions such as tagging or exclusion zones, while also defending the government's prison capacity plans amid Conservative claims of 700 fewer places than a year ago.