Burnham Caps England Bus Fares at £2, Cuts Pub Rates and Power Tax to Zero
Updated
Updated · Bloomberg · Aug 1
Burnham Caps England Bus Fares at £2, Cuts Pub Rates and Power Tax to Zero
3 articles · Updated · Bloomberg · Aug 1
Summary
£2 bus fares will return across England under Prime Minister Andy Burnham, reversing his predecessor’s increase to £3 as he opens his premiership with a string of small consumer-friendly measures.
Pub business rates are being lowered and an extra tax on household electricity bills has been cut to zero, extending that early-cost-of-living push beyond transport.
Manchester is central to Burnham’s rollout: he has paired 10 Downing Street with a "No. 10 North" outpost and used social media heavily to project a frugal, everyday image.
That mix of modest giveaways and man-of-the-people messaging suggests Burnham is trying to build political capital by focusing first on highly visible household costs.