Prime Minister Andy Burnham will embark on a national tour this week to ask the public how the Government can improve their lives, Downing Street has announced. Officials said the Prime Minister would be in “listening mode” as he spends much of the rest of August travelling the country to discuss the cost of living.
Pro-consumer measures to ease bills
Having promised to give the public “breathing space”, he is expected to unveil a series of measures intended to help with bills, following on from cuts to energy costs and a £2 cap on bus fares announced in his first week in Downing Street.
Mr Burnham will also focus on improving high streets and officials said he would use the summer tour to inform his 10-year plan for the country. A spokesperson for the Prime Minister said he would be “getting out of Westminster and meeting people where they are”.
Addressing everyday hassles
They added: “He thinks Westminster has got used to telling people that everyday hassles – like hidden pricing and consumers being ripped off – must be accepted as part of life. He doesn’t think that’s right. That’s why he’s going to start rolling out a series of pro-consumer cost-of-living measures to give people some room to breathe.”
With the fallout of the Iran war keeping inflation higher than expected, the cost of living remains a major concern among the public. A poll published by Ipsos at the end of July found 30% of people listed the economy as a major concern while 22% listed inflation or prices specifically.
Opposition criticism
But opposition figures have accused Mr Burnham of “tinkering” with his announcements. Reform UK’s economic spokesman Robert Jenrick said the Prime Minister should “scrap green levies and taxes on energy bills”, and rule out tax rises in October’s budget.
He added: “It’s high time the Labour Party cut the ballooning benefits bill so we can relieve pressure on the hardworking majority that hold our country together.”
