CHEAPER buses but more bombs and bullets was the contradictory message today from Andy Burnham as his new government struggled for definition.

Maintaining his focus on the cost of living, Mr Burnham announced a £2 cap on bus fares, a move welcomed by trade unions.

However, he scotched rumours that he was to raise income tax thresholds, citing his aversion to “unfunded promises.”

And the Prime Minister pledged to “honour the commitments we’ve made as part of Nato to defence.

“This is about Britain regaining its reputation for stability, for delivering on what we say we will do,” he said.

And new Defence Secretary Wes Streeting backed President Donald Trump’s drive for higher war spending.

In his first speech in the job, Mr Streeting said: “President Trump has called on Europe to carry a greater share of the burden for our own defence, and he is right to do so.

“The UK has always been a leading light on defence spending, but the world is changing and in these dangerous uncertain times it is clear that we have needed to go further.

“That’s why we’ve committed £298 billion over the next four years, including an additional £15bn on top of last year’s spending review settlement,” he boasted, without addressing the possible impact on the cost-of-living agenda.

Mr Burnham’s job was made a little easier by news that inflation fell more than expected last month, from 2.8 per cent to 2.6 per cent.  

However, analysts warned that with the aggression against Iran escalating, prices were likely to head higher again in the autumn.

The move on single bus fares, with the cap falling from £3, was backed by TUC general secretary Paul Nowak, who said: “Along with the tax cut to energy bills, capping bus fares is a good start and means working people can get around for cheaper.”

But he urged ministers to “go further to boost living standards in the coming months — including by introducing a permanent social tariff to cut bills for the majority of households, paid for by taxing banks’ enormous profits.

“This should further reduce inflation and support the economy,” Mr Nowak said.

A Green Party spokesperson said that “temporary cuts to bus fares are welcome but we need a new direction of travel.

“We need to permanently offer free travel to all those under 22. And we need to see extensive investment in routes and an increase in services so that taking the bus is a realistic option for many more communities across England.”

And transport union TSSA general secretary Maryam Eslamdoust said: “This is a step in the right direction from Andy Burnham because travel on public transport must be affordable for the public.  

“What we want to see from the government is an overall strategic approach which concentrates on transport being run for people not profit.

“Doing so will signal that Andy Burnham is serious about moving Britain away from the agenda of the 1980s.”

The bus fare cut is to be funded by transferring money from the energy budget, by converting grants to third countries to tackle climate change into loans.

Bond, a charity representing the international development sector, attacked the move.

“It is disappointing that the new Prime Minister is picking up where the previous one left off, by continuing to raid the diminished UK aid budget to prop up much-needed funding for the cost-of-living crisis here in the UK,” a spokesperson said.

But asked to comment on reports that he would raise tax-free personal allowances from their present £12,570, the Prime Minister said: “There is no commitment at this point to change, but we will look at that at the Budget.”

The Guardian has reported that Mr Burnham is looking to accelerate plans to establish a national care service to tackle the long-running social care crisis, likely to be an expensive move.

And he has pledged to review the government’s early release scheme for prisoners after Mr Streeting and Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood were caught joking about the issue.

The early release plan, driven by a shortage of prison places, risked becoming toxic after possible freedom for the killers of police officer Andrew Harper drew sharp condemnation from the victim’s family.

Mr Streeting and Ms Mahmood apologised for their overheard levity, but the new premier had to promise a tactical retreat nevertheless.