Burnham promises to ease cost of living pressures if he becomes prime minister

Andy Burnham told Tonight with Andrew Marr on LBC that he would not break the government’s borrowing rules. Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA

Andy Burnham promised to ease the cost of living if he becomes prime minister in his first interview since returning to parliament.

The Makerfield MP told LBC that if he became prime minister later this month, as expected, he would look at reducing business rates for some high street businesses, bringing down water and energy costs by de-privatising companies and making bus travel free for 16- to 18-year-olds.