Burnham cuts VAT on electricity bills in first major policy announcement – UK politics live

Move is expected to save households around £45 a year in effort to tackle cost of living

Burnham to cut VAT on electricity bills in first cost-of-living move

The new business secretary, Jonathan Reynolds, defended the make-up of the cabinet, which has a majority of members based in the north of England, with five from Greater Manchester.

Asked if there was a risk of a north-south divide, Reynolds, the MP for Stalybridge and Hyde in Greater Manchester, told BBC Radio 4’s Today: “No, there isn’t.”