Andy Burnham is to embark on a national tour of Britain this coming week in a bid to strengthen the government's connection with the public during his premiership. The prime minister is expected to unveil policies aimed at easing cost-of-living pressures and to signal his commitment to revitalising the UK's high streets, as he pushes what he calls his "10-year plan to bring back hope".

Although Downing Street has yet to confirm an itinerary, Burnham is likely to visit areas that have seen declining Labour support or industrial decline, potentially including Port Talbot, site of the UK's largest steelworks, which closed its last blast furnace in 2024. His team says he intends to roll out "pro-consumer" measures targeting issues like hidden pricing, amid an Ipsos poll showing 30% of people cite the economy and 22% cite inflation or prices as top concerns. Opposition figures have been critical: the Conservatives' Mel Stride accused Burnham of hypocrisy over high street policy and crime plans, Reform UK's Robert Jenrick called for scrapping green levies, and the Liberal Democrats' Daisy Cooper branded the trip a "vanity tour".