All the policy pledges Andy Burnham has made since becoming prime minister
New prime minister Andy Burnham has used his first days in office to announce a series of policy pledges focused primarily on reducing living costs for households, framing his administration as a "cost of living government". Speaking after taking over from Sir Keir Starmer, Burnham said he wants to deliver the "biggest changes in the last 40 years" by reversing economic policies dating back to the Thatcher era, though most confirmed measures so far are near-term commitments due to take effect by next April.
Confirmed policies include scrapping VAT on household electricity bills from October, expected to save the average household £45 and costing around £850 million, funded by cancelling the planned Digital ID programme. He has also reinstated the £2 bus fare cap, pledged £340 million to help end rough sleeping by providing 1,200 homes and support for at least 3,000 long-term rough sleepers, established a "Number 10 North" outpost in Manchester, and announced a 20 per cent cut to business rates for pubs, clubs and music venues, saving the typical pub an estimated £1,100 from April.
In short
- Burnham unveils cost-of-living policies in first week as PM
- VAT cut on electricity bills to save households £45
- £2 bus fare cap restored; £340m pledged to end rough sleeping
Explained simply
Andy Burnham is the United Kingdom's new prime minister, having taken over from Sir Keir Starmer. He previously served as mayor of Greater Manchester.
Burnham has centred his administration on tackling the cost of living, positioning it as focused on making essential expenses more affordable for households. He has indicated his government will seek to reverse economic policies dating back to the Thatcher era, framing this as significant change.
Rising costs for energy, transport and other necessities have been a significant burden for many UK households in recent years. Burnham's emphasis on addressing affordability reflects that voters see this as a priority, and his premiership will be significantly shaped by whether his government delivers on this commitment.