If positivity could be indexed, Andy Burnham’s stock would be sky high. The new Prime Minister stood outside Downing Street a week ago promising to make his premiership “the moment when Britain starts to believe again, the moment that we bring back hope”, and like a skilful holiday rep, has kept the summery feelgood vibes flowing ever since.

Cutting VAT on energy bills, capping bus fares and reducing business rates for pubs in England, promising to end rough sleeping, more council houses, a free bus to the beach (OK, not that one): each of these statements of intent has been designed to say, yes, we get it, we’ve read the customer feedback forms and the one-star reviews and we’re responding to what you want. Things are going to be different now.

And you can see the goodwill flowing back to him in response. People want Burnham to succeed – not just Labour MPs, but many voters and even journalists who criticised Keir Starmer for being out of touch with the public. They’ve got their man.

But these early policy announcements, while symbolically significant, are really holding positions, crumbs to a hungry and expectant public, and everyone knows it. They’re the short-term tactical response. What we need now is the long-term strategy. A VAT cut on energy bills worth less than £1 a week to the average household, a 20% rates cut for a limited number of businesses and council house building that will take years to come to fruition, are in the “every little helps” category, not gamechangers in the affordability crisis.

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