IT HAS been about ten days since Andy Burnham became Prime Minister, and in that time, he has shown how he intends to govern with a series of policies that will be felt by working people, and relieve cost-of-living crisis pressures.

The Prime Minister’s announcement that pubs, clubs, and live music venues will see their business rates bill slashed by 20% has been hugely welcomed. I’ve long argued that these are more than just businesses, but the heart of communities, offering real public benefits. Around 4,500 business in Cornwall and the wider South West – and about 32,000 businesses nationally – will see their bills cut, saving on average £1,100.

For too long, we’ve witnessed the gradual decline of town centres, and Andy is determined to help them. We’re all too familiar with high streets that were once vibrant centres of community life deteriorating into empty shopfronts and boarded-up buildings, accompanied with declining footfall. That’s why I took hands-on action to bring vacant and derelict buildings back into use through St Austell CLT, a community-owned housing co-operative founded together with an expert local steering group. I believe that with these efforts, combined with as High Street Rental Auctions, which force landlords to rent out units that have been vacant for more than a year, and the £301 million commitment to High Streets Innovation Partnerships to transform town centres, we can once again breathe life into our high streets.

The Prime Minister also cut VAT on domestic electricity bills, saving the average household around £45 a year. Whilst both he and I agree there is much more to do, by taking these actions in his first week of governance, Andy is clear that he understands people are struggling and is taking concrete steps to change that. That’s why the Government also capped bus fares at £2, saving commuters money by knocking a third off the cost of a ticket.

Alongside this, Andy has also pledged £340 million over five years to tackle rough sleeping in England. He refuses to believe that it can’t be done, or would take decades to do, and has instructed the Government to work nationally and locally to end rough sleeping as fast as possible.

Finally, Andy also launched "No 10 North" in Manchester, a symbolic and important move that shows that his Government will be committed to tackling top-heavy, centralised, Westminster-focused decision making, and helping vest power down into every corner of the country. In Cornwall, we must strengthen and professionalise our own local powers and decision-making, with institutions like the Kernow Industrial Growth Fund charting a new, more mature and businesslike course for Cornish economic development.

Taken together, these policies are a clear indication of where Andy wants his

Government to focus: Delivering real relief from the cost-of-living crisis, restoring hope for the nation, and ensuring that working people get some breathing space as soon as possible.

After all, these policies and Andy Burnham’s first week as Prime Minister has shown clearly whose side he’s on – our side.