Not even a week into his premiership, and we are starting to get a sense of how Andy Burnham intends to tackle some of the country’s biggest challenges – and what that could mean for food & drink businesses. The first sign came in his inaugural speech, when he promised to give households more “breathing space”. The second came in the policy announcements, most notably the decision to cut business rates by 20% for pubs, clubs and music venues – a move with clear implications for the food & drink industry and an early signal of where his priorities lie.