0h 7min, jul 21, 2026 y - Burnham First Meeting

Description:

Andy Burnham has promised to lead a "cost of living government," as he chaired his first cabinet meeting as prime minister.

He told his newly assembled top team that he wanted to make living expenses a key priority, and give people a "sense that help is coming" on costs.

It comes after he announced a VAT cut to household energy bills from October, in his first major announcement since taking office.

But his plan to pay for the policy by scrapping Sir Keir Starmer's digital ID scheme led to an early row over whether the plan was properly funded.

Downing Street said the estimated £850m cost of the VAT cut over the rest of the financial year could come from £1.8bn earmarked by the previous government to roll out the digital ID scheme in the next three years.

Added to timeline:

Date: