Andy Burnham has announced a £2 cap on single bus fares across England starting in January, saying the move will help 'put money in people's pockets'. It comes after the prime minister pledged to lead a 'cost-of-living government' during his first Cabinet meeting on Tuesday.
Criticism from Reform UK
The move has already sparked criticism from opposition parties, most notably, Reform UK's Chief Advisor on Global Affairs, Alan Mendoza, gave the prime minister a brutal nickname in honour of his national £2 cap on bus fares.
During Wednesday's edition of LBC, the spokesperson brutally dubbed him 'uncosted Andy' in a humiliating on-air takedown.
'He's not costed these things,' Alan remarked, 'I'm calling him uncosted Andy from now on.'
To draw on his point further, he went on: 'Basically, he says things which he knows are not costed. And when they're not costed, he's going to have to borrow the money.'
Alan added, 'Then the money markets are going to complain. And then the interest rates are going to go up and people like Lisa are going to be upset. Or taxes are going to go up, and again, people like Lisa are going to be upset because somebody is going to have to foot the bill.'
He concluded that Burnham's plans are not 'sensible policy'.
Current bus fare cap and Burnham's defence
The nationwide cap is currently set at £3 until the end of March 2027, although some areas, including London and Greater Manchester, where Burnham set a £2 limit as mayor, have lower top rates for single tickets.
Explaining his decision, Burnham said: 'The public's priority is reducing cost of living pressures, and that's what I'm doing.' He also argued that 'good, affordable transport links are essential' and that 'no one should be priced out of them and left behind'.
