5 takeaways from Andy Burnham’s first budget

1) Andy Burnham's first budget, titled "breathing space for today, fresh hope for the future," unveiled 98 changes to address the ongoing challenges faced by households and the country. One of the key areas of focus was energy bills, with a promise to help most households cope with the expected spike in costs due to Donald Trump's war with Iran.

2) Chancellor John Healey also announced a £10 billion defense package to support Ukraine amid the ongoing conflict.

3) While Burnham's intentions were to provide stability and direction amid global economic storms, the budget was met with mixed reactions. Some praised the measures for their area, while others criticized it as a "fudge-it budget" and questioned the lack of radical action to end 40 years of neoliberalism.

4) The budget also included temporary measures, such as a 15-month tax rise on banks and the extension of existing cuts to fuel duty, energy bills, and bus fares until 2027. These temporary measures, however, will need to be reviewed before the next annual budget.

5) Despite the many changes in the budget, fundamental decisions were put off for later, such as the spending on defense and the welfare system. Burnham and Healey attributed the need for a cautious approach to the uncertainties stemming from global economic storms fueled by the U.S. conflict with Iran.