Prime Minister Andy Burnham is preparing to announce "a series of measures to make life easier" for those struggling with the cost of living in the coming days, according to Downing Street. No 10 has stated that the Prime Minister's plans are designed to "give people some room to breathe" and will also focus on ways of "improving high streets" as he embarks on a tour of the UK.
The Prime Minister, who has been on holiday this week, will be in "listening mode" in the coming days as he travels across the UK's nations and regions. He is working on a "10-year plan to bring back hope" and make Britain better off. A spokesman for the Prime Minister explained that Burnham believes Westminster has got used to telling people that everyday hassles, such as hidden pricing and consumers being ripped off, must be accepted as part of life. The spokesman said the Prime Minister does not think that is right, which is why he is rolling out a series of pro-consumer cost-of-living measures. The spokesman added that the summer tour will get the Prime Minister out of Westminster to meet people where they are.
Despite these upcoming announcements, the government is facing continued pressure over its early release scheme for prisoners in England and Wales. The prisoner release row is proving to be Burnham's first big test as PM. There are likely to be continued questions about the forthcoming scheme, which is due to start in October, and what's behind having to release some prisoners early.
One of Burnham's first acts in Downing Street was to order a review which limited the range of people who would be eligible for early release. However, those convicted of manslaughter will still qualify for the scheme. This has drawn intense criticism because two of PC Andrew Harper's killers will be eligible for release next year. The officer who led the PC Harper investigation said they were "appalled" that the killers could be released early. The Prime Minister has faced calls from PC Harper's family, former senior police officers, and opposition politicians for them to be denied early release. However, Burnham has stated he cannot go any further without risking prison capacity, and Downing Street confirmed on Saturday night that this position remains unchanged, despite reports that the Prime Minister could revisit the case.
Burnham is also likely to face pressure for more action on the cost of living, although significant interventions are unlikely before October's Budget. Even then, Chancellor John Healey has made it clear he will oversee "strong fiscal discipline," which will limit how much the government has to spend.
The government's plans have met with strong opposition. The Conservatives said the government's "tax hikes and red tape are hammering our high streets." Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride accused the Prime Minister of "breathtaking hypocrisy," stating: "This is breathtaking hypocrisy from Burnham… they are forcing businesses to close, destroying jobs and driving up prices for the public. Meanwhile, Labour are plotting to release dangerous criminals onto our streets, leaving people feeling unsafe in their communities."
Liberal Democrat Treasury spokeswoman Daisy Cooper said struggling high street businesses "need more than a new PM embarking on a vanity tour this summer." She said the PM should adopt the Lib Dem plan for high streets, explaining: "That means reversing the damaging jobs tax, delivering an emergency VAT cut for hospitality, replacing broken business rates and cracking down on the ghost landlords leaving our shop fronts vacant." Meanwhile, Reform UK's economic spokesman Robert Jenrick said: "If Andy Burnham wants to help people with the cost of living, he should scrap the green levies and taxes on energy bills and rule out tax rises at the Budget."
