ANDY Burnham’s first week in power has been declared a success by the commentators. But then most PMs are cut much slack, especially in their first week, and before the honeymoon period is declared over; and the media goes back to routine hostilities.

The soft-focus, chummy, man-of-the-people-with-pork-scratchings, with his antidote to metropolitanism, and his Manchesterism outreach project has progressed and his evident desire to combat cost-of-living problems has been generally well-received. And, yes, there is a “But/However…”

However, I’ve been surprised and disappointed by evident lack of concern for nature restoration and the climate emergency. Starmer allowed his government to wrongly portray nature as a “blocker” to growth, and to weaken protections for nature and the environment in the roll-out of policies which demonstrated an astonishing naivety about what drives much of the private development market.

The UK remains one of the most nature-depleted countries on earth, and the opportunities to place nature restoration and projects to combat the climate emergency at the centre of the government’s response still seems to be overlooked by the Burhnam-led government.

Needless to say, I am already pressing him to look at this again.

Andy Burnham’s decision to restore the £2 bus fare cap is of course welcome. Though I’d rather see any funding spent on improving regularity, including those services which have been cut earlier this year, for example from half hourly to hourly.

I have always urged government to concentrate bus subsidies on younger people. Free or a £1 cap public transport for under 25s would drive a demand for a wider range of services to get early start apprentices to work, students to college and encourage later night services and support an evening and nighttime economy. It would also save hundreds of lives for young people less dependent on mopeds and motor bikes.

I also urged the Transport Secretary this week to address a long-standing injustice affecting residents of the Isles of Scilly. There is no equivalent bus fare cap for those living on St Martin's, St Agnes, Bryher and Tresco for example. Inter-island boat services are their local “bus” service, to access healthcare, education, employment and other essential services on St Mary's and beyond. Not to offer support is discriminatory towards islanders and should form part of government action to help tackle the cost-of-living crisis.

During the winter months the cost of return travel from an off island can be £160, to attend essential medical or dental appointments etc... Some report having to decline essential medical including important diagnostic appointments during winter months because of these costs. These transport costs also contribute to social isolation and create barriers to employment, childcare, and community services.

Irrespective of what the bus fare cap is set on the mainland, it’s not right that islanders receive no equivalent support simply because their “bus” happens to travel on water. Islanders deserve the same access to affordable public transport as everyone else.