Scoff at cheaper bus fares and No 10 North if you like, but Andy Burnham knows what he’s doing | Jonathan Freedland
Andy Burnham’s new government has announced a £2 cap on single bus fares across England from January, presenting it as an immediate measure to ease pressure on household budgets. Jonathan Freedland argues that such practical, easily understood policies can build lasting public support, drawing a comparison with Ken Livingstone’s popular 1981 “Fares Fair” reductions in London.
The column criticises Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch for dismissing the plans as “mayor of Manchester ideas” and insufficiently ambitious for a prime minister. Freedland contends that Burnham’s experience as Greater Manchester mayor is an advantage: alongside promises of larger reforms, including a 10-year national plan in the autumn, tangible measures such as cheaper transport can demonstrate political effectiveness and shift power away from London.
- Burnham will cap single bus fares at £2 across England.
- Freedland says practical policies can create enduring voter support.
- Badenoch’s criticism is portrayed as misunderstanding local political strengths.
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