New UK premier sets cost of living as top priority at 1st Cabinet meeting

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham on Tuesday told the first meeting of his Cabinet that tackling the cost of living would be the government's central priority.

"We will be a cost of living government. Our mission is to see 'what can we do just to take that little bit of pressure off people's shoulders,'" he said, according to several British media reports.

Burnham added that he wants to give people "that little extra sense that help is coming so that they can have that bit of hope that things are getting better."

He said ministers should look "at all possible ways" of bringing down the cost of living and asked every government department to consider how it could contribute.

He also warned that achieving those aims would require changes to spending priorities.

Burnham said the government has "got to be prepared to reprioritize" spending, adding that this would involve some "difficult decisions."

He said Chancellor John Healey would also be "looking over my shoulder" on the issue.

Speaking at the meeting, Healey said ministers would all need to "look harder at our own budgets."

He added that it is "fiscal credibility" that will provide "economic stability, growth and national security."