Mancunians could be forgiven for feeling a sense of deja vu as Andy Burnham's first days as Prime Minister echo his Greater Manchester policies: ending rough sleeping, a £2 bus fare cap, and more power for regional leaders.
Rough sleeping pledge
In his speech outside Downing Street, Burnham pledged to end rough sleeping across the country. He visited The Passage, a homelessness charity in London, and Downing Street later announced £340 million funding for 1,200 homes and support for at least 3,000 long-term rough sleepers over five years. This is on top of £3.6 billion from the National Plan to End Homelessness under Sir Keir Starmer, bringing the total to over £3.9 billion.
As Greater Manchester mayor, Burnham vowed to end rough sleeping by 2020 and set up 'A Bed Every Night' in 2018. While initial progress was made, figures show 197 people sleeping rough in 2025, up from 154 in 2024 and 149 in 2023. The GMCA noted this is still below the 2017 peak of 268. National figures have risen to 4,793 in England, higher than 2017.
Bus fare cap
On Wednesday, the government announced most bus fares in England will be capped at £2 from January until 2027. Burnham said he will slash single bus ticket prices by a third from January 1 until the end of 2027. The nationwide cap is set at £3 until March 2027, though some areas like London and Greater Manchester have lower rates.
As mayor, Burnham brought private bus operators under local regulation after six years of legal battles, rebranding the system as the Bee Network with a £2 cap. However, inconsistent service and 'ghost buses' remain issues.
Devolution
Devolution is central to Burnham's approach. In his book 'Head North', co-authored with Steve Rotheram, he outlined plans to tackle inequality and overhaul public money distribution. Critics note that Greater Manchester's economic growth has not reached outer boroughs like Salford, Bolton, Oldham, and Wigan, according to Oxford Economics.
Burnham's first week suggests he wants to be judged on his record. The question is whether policies with mixed results in one region can succeed nationwide.
