Prime Minister Andy Burnham has set out an ambitious case for his Labour Government’s first months in office, arguing that his premiership will be about fundamental change rather than “a few tweaks around the edges”.
In a wide-ranging statement, Burnham said his government was determined to tackle problems that had too often been treated as inevitable — including rough sleeping, regional inequality, the housing crisis and the concentration of power in Westminster.
He said:
“I didn’t become Prime Minister to just make a few tweaks around the edges. I want to change the way this country works.”
Burnham argued that successive governments had become too willing to accept that some of Britain’s biggest problems could not be fixed.
He pointed to the Government’s new national drive to offer everyone who needs it a route off the streets by Christmas. The programme is backed by £442 million and will provide accommodation and wider support across England this winter.
Housing is another central part of Burnham’s agenda. Labour has begun rolling out its £39 billion Social and Affordable Homes Programme, with nearly £10 billion in initial allocations and a commitment to what ministers describe as the biggest revival of council housebuilding in decades.
Burnham also highlighted the Government’s investment in mental health services. A £343 million programme will open up to 159 new NHS mental health centres across England, designed to provide earlier help in communities and specialist crisis support outside traditional A&E departments.
The Prime Minister said these policies formed part of a wider effort to rebuild the country from the bottom up, rather than relying on decisions taken solely in Whitehall.
That philosophy has also shaped the creation of No10 North, which Burnham opened in Manchester shortly after entering Downing Street. The new base is intended to bring ministers, regional mayors and other leaders together while shifting more decision-making away from Westminster.
Burnham said:
“Britain won’t be rebuilt from the top down.”
He added that government must “put power back in the hands of the people and places that know their communities best — and then put the full weight of government behind them.”
Alongside structural reform, Burnham stressed that his administration was also seeking to give households more immediate “breathing space” with the cost of living.
The Government has confirmed a £2 cap on eligible single bus fares in England outside London throughout 2027, backed by £400 million of additional funding.
It has also extended the 16–17 Saver Railcard, allowing young people who buy one before turning 18 to retain half-price rail travel for a full 12 months. The Department for Transport estimates the change could save affected passengers an average of £175.
From April 2027, eligible disabled people in England will also be able to use their concessionary bus passes 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with the Government providing £60 million to remove existing time restrictions.
Burnham linked these measures with Labour’s wider package of support, including cuts to electricity costs, measures aimed at making subscriptions easier to cancel and a 20 per cent business rates reduction for pubs, social clubs and live music venues.
He said the individual policies were all part of the same governing mission:
“Good growth in every postcode. Reindustrialising Britain. And making sure wherever you live — and whatever your background — you feel this country has a future for you.”
The Prime Minister’s message is an attempt to define his government around three themes: devolving power, easing everyday financial pressures and investing for the long term.
For Burnham, however, the ultimate objective is more fundamental.
“Because, in the end, that’s what this is about: bringing back hope.”
His intervention amounts to one of the clearest statements yet of the political philosophy behind the new Labour Government — arguing that national renewal will require not simply changing individual policies, but changing where power sits and ensuring communities across Britain see tangible improvements in their everyday lives.
