Housing secretary rules out rent controls

The housing secretary, Angela Rayner, has ruled out introducing rent controls in England, saying the government has no plans to follow the approach taken in Scotland. Speaking as the prime minister opened his new base in Manchester, she said that rent controls had not brought down rents in Scotland and that the government's focus was on other measures to help renters, such as allowing tenants to challenge rent increases at a tribunal and ending bidding wars.

Andy Burnham, the prime minister, spent his first full day working from the new Number 10 North in Manchester, a temporary office in the city centre that he said would be the "nerve centre for a rewired Britain". He described the opening as "the best day of my life" and insisted it was not a gimmick. The move is part of his plan to devolve power away from Westminster, with senior ministers including the education secretary, Lucy Powell, and the housing secretary, Angela Rayner, expected to work from the site regularly. Eventually, 300 civil servants will be based there.

The prime minister used his first week in office to announce a series of cost-of-living measures. On Tuesday, he confirmed that VAT on domestic electricity bills would be cut from October, saving the average household around £45 a year. On Wednesday, he reinstated a £2 cap on single bus fares in England, excluding London, from January, funded by reallocating £454 million from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and £54 million from the department's budget. On Thursday, he announced a 20% cut in business rates for pubs, clubs and live music venues in England from next April, saving a typical pub around £1,100 a year. The government said the £100 million cost would be met by reviewing tax reliefs for vape shops and other businesses that "cause social harm" and by cracking down on online sellers who do not pay the correct tax.

The opposition has criticised the announcements, with the Conservative leader, Kemi Badenoch, accusing the prime minister of making "unfunded commitments" and lacking a clear plan. She said his ambitions were "too small for Britain" and that he was still behaving like a mayor rather than a prime minister. The Liberal Democrats also questioned how the policies would be paid for.

On Friday, Mr Burnham paused the early release of prisoners that had been due to begin in September, saying he had instructed his team to put a hold on the changes until an urgent review had been carried out. The decision came after pressure from victims' families and concerns about public safety.

The prime minister also held his first meeting of the National Economic Council in Manchester, bringing together regional mayors, business leaders and cabinet ministers to discuss economic growth. He said the new office would help ensure that "opportunity has not been evenly spread around the country" and that the government would work to change that.