The Guardian view on Andy Burnham’s first week: polished politics allow an upbeat start | Editorial
With a flurry of cost-of-living measures and a day in Number 10 North, the new prime minister has hit the right early notes Appropriately enough
With a flurry of cost-of-living measures and a day in Number 10 North, the new prime minister has hit the right early notes Appropriately enough, Andy Burnham ended a week of political signalling and first impressions back in Manchester on Friday. At the offices of the new No 10 North – where the prime minister hopes to work at least one day a week – regional mayors sat alongside ministers in an example of Burnhamism at work.
It was an early statement of intent, ahead of what Mr Burnham bills as “the biggest rebalancing of power our country has seen”. The same could be said of the series of cost of living measures fired out during the new government’s first few days in office. A £2 cap on bus fares, a cut in VAT on electricity, and some business rates relief for pubs, clubs and smaller music venues were all modest moves.
But they were cleverly indicative ones, nodding empathetically to people’s need to have the chance to enjoy themselves as well as pay the bills. Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.
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