Politics · 23 July 2026
Kemi Badenoch says Andy Burnham is still governing like a mayor
The Conservative leader accused the new prime minister of announcing a "spending spree" of early promises without explaining how they'd be paid for. Mr Burnham's initial policies include the reintroduction of a £2 bus fare cap across England and a reduction in VAT applied to household electricity bills. These interventions, also including pub business rate cuts, are projected to cost around £1.8 billion in total.
Reported by BBC · How we write briefs