Burnham pledges Christmas campaign to house rough sleepers

Prime Minister Andy Burnham pledged to launch a major campaign to remove rough sleepers from streets during the winter months.

Por El Medio Oriente
24 de agosto de 2026
A man in a black blazer and glasses stands on a city street speaking with a person wearing a blue jacket and gray beanie with a purple backpack.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham speaks with a rough sleeper on a city street as part of his campaign to address homelessness during winter months. (The Guardian — World)
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The Prime Minister promised to mount a "Covid-style campaign" to get homeless people off the streets during winter. The pledge came as part of wider efforts to address rough sleeping during the colder months.

The Conservative Party said it could cut energy bills by £540 a year for the next two decades by prioritising cheap energy over net zero targets. The party argued that roughly half the savings would come from reduced grid infrastructure costs, including fewer pylons and cables needed across the countryside.

Shadow energy secretary Claire Coutikh said that when serving as a minister, civil servants had been unable to prove to her that wind and solar energy was cheaper than fossil fuels. The remaining savings would come from lower wholesale prices, reduced balancing costs and subsidies, the party said.

The Conservatives argued that high electricity costs were pushing industry overseas and harming ambitions in artificial intelligence and living standards. The party framed the energy proposal as part of its broader economic strategy.

Burnham pledges Christmas campaign to house rough sleepers | El Medio Oriente