Andy Burnham's new focus on "everyday fixes" for minor frustrations and unfair expenses may be a strategic move, but columnist Emma Beddington remains unconvinced, suggesting a list of small changes that could win her over. The Greater Manchester mayor has proposed measures including banning auto-renewed subscriptions, tackling misleading sale prices, and capping bus fares in England, but Beddington argues these gestures don't address larger issues like North Sea drilling.
What are Burnham's 'everyday fixes'?
Burnham's proposals target daily annoyances that cost consumers money or patience. These include bringing forward a ban on auto-renewed subscriptions, regulating betting and vape shops, and capping bus fares across England. The approach echoes New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's fight against what Business Insider called the "annoyance economy" – frustrations like hidden fees, difficulty cancelling subscriptions, and potholes that make life miserable.
Mamdani has gained popularity by responding to residents' complaints on social media, with even Britons jokingly asking him to tackle their problems. Burnham appears to be adopting a similar strategy, hoping that fixing small issues will build public trust for tackling bigger challenges.
Why small fixes might not be enough
Beddington, a Guardian columnist, acknowledges that addressing minor irritations is human nature – most people tick off quick wins first. She notes that these fixes are visually appealing and easily communicated online, which plays well for politicians. As Eric Phillips, former press secretary to New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, put it: "Theatre is part of the job."
However, Beddington questions whether Burnham really expects voters to forget his stance on North Sea drilling just because it becomes easier to cancel a forgotten Paramount+ subscription. She suggests that winning public confidence through small fixes could build goodwill for tackling harder, slower issues, but she isn't won over yet by "pothole politics."
Beddington's list of small changes
Inspired by consumer champion Martin Lewis's suggestion that the government fix "100 small things that piss people off," Beddington compiled her own list. These include ending the frustration of delivery companies claiming you were out when you weren't, eliminating ignored "delivery preferences," and creating a database of everyone's whereabouts to avoid arguing with bots.
She also targets digital annoyances, like shopping sites that return you to the top of the page when you click back, and companies that sign you up to marketing without opt-out options. She proposes severe penalties for non-functioning unsubscribe buttons, and even suggests that CEOs of plastic-film lid manufacturers should prove they can open their products with their non-dominant hand.
Other whimsical asks include bio-engineered bread that falls butter side up, free scissor and nail clipper distributors on every street corner, and a single universal sock for everyone. Beddington concludes that if Burnham fixes all these things, he might just get her vote.
