PM unveils plan to tackle subscription traps with auto-renewal rules
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced new rules on auto-renewals as part of a plan to address subscription traps, aiming to protect consumers from unfair practices.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has unveiled a sweeping plan to give local councils more power to control the types of businesses that open on high streets, aiming to tackle the proliferation of vape shops, betting shops, and what the government describes as 'dodgy businesses' linked to organised crime. The announcement, made during the first stop of his summer tour in Ilkeston, follows a series of BBC investigations that exposed illegal activity on high streets across the country.
Under the new rules, vape shops in England will be reclassified in planning law, meaning they must apply for planning permission before opening. This change is designed to allow local communities to object to new vape stores and reduce their numbers. For betting shops and 24-hour gambling venues, the government will consult on scrapping the so-called 'Aim to Permit' rule, which currently makes it difficult for councils to block them. The rule was introduced under the Gambling Act 2005, a policy of the Tony Blair era.
Burnham also announced tougher powers for police and local authorities to close down shops suspected of being fronts for criminal activity, extending closure orders from six months to 12 months. The measures include action against 'dodgy barbers' and other businesses used to launder money or sell illegal goods. The Prime Minister said the changes were shaped by what had been revealed in BBC investigations, which he said he had followed closely, including when he was Mayor of Greater Manchester.
Critics have responded with mixed reactions. The Conservatives and Reform UK warn that the plans could lead to boarded-up high streets with more empty shops, arguing that the government should instead focus on reducing taxes for small businesses. The Liberal Democrats say the reforms do not go far enough, calling for illegal businesses to be closed permanently rather than just for 12 months. Some business owners, including vape shop operators, expressed concern that legitimate businesses are being painted with the same brush as criminals, and that underlying issues such as high business rates and rising wage costs are not being addressed.
The announcement comes at a time when a YouGov poll for Sky News shows Labour's voting intention at its highest since July 2025, while Reform UK has slipped to its lowest level since the 2024 general election. Burnham has positioned the plan as part of a broader effort to restore pride in communities and connect with voters beyond Westminster, a theme he has called the 'Makerfield test'.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | Channel 5 | BBC One | BBC Two | ITV | Sky News |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New measures would require vape shops to obtain planning permission before opening. | |||||
| The government will consult on scrapping the 'Aim to Permit' rule to make it easier for councils to reject betting shops. | · | ||||
| The government wants to give communities more control over high streets. | · | · | |||
| Andy Burnham said town centres have been hollowed out by decades of decline. | · | · | · | ||
| Closure orders for businesses linked to organised crime would be extended from six to twelve months. | · | · | · | ||
| Councils will get more powers to stop new vape and betting shops opening. | · | · | · | ||
| The Conservatives and Reform say the plans might lead to more empty shops. | · | · | · | ||
| A business owner said small businesses need more support. | · | · | · | · | |
| A YouGov poll shows Labour has its highest voting intention since July 2025. | · | · | · | · | |
| Around 1,000 raids on shops have occurred since the last report. | · | · | · | · | |
| Critics said the plan is window dressing and will not tackle underlying issues such as business rates, wage costs, and changing shopping habits. | · | · | · | · | |
| Some of the announced measures had already been announced by the previous government. | · | · | · | · |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
This channel provided a brief, straightforward summary of the story as part of a broader news bulletin. It focused narrowly on the consumer protection aspect of subscription traps and auto-renewal rules, without linking to the high street plan or organised crime. The tone was neutral and fact-based, with minimal analysis or context.
- “The prime minister is bringing forward a plan to tackle so-called subscription traps.”
- “Under new rules, companies will have to stop auto-renewing plans.”
Newsnight provided an in-depth analysis of the high street plan, treating it as part of Andy Burnham's 'summer tour' to connect with voters. The discussion focused on whether the policy is new or repackaged, with a panel and an interview with East Midlands Mayor Claire Ward. The tone was analytical and questioning, highlighting the challenge of replacing closed shops and the political context of Labour's bounce in the polls.
- “Andy Burnham tomorrow kicks off his summer tour. First stop, plans to curb what he says are unchecked vape stores, betting shops and rogue businesses.”
- “If any of this is sounding vaguely familiar, that's because it is. A lot of this has already been announced, at least the sentiment behind it.”
Sky News focused on the political and electoral implications of the policy, tying it to Labour's rising polling numbers and the risk of losing voters to Reform UK. The report included a detailed explanation of the planning changes and the scrapping of the 'Aim to Permit' rule, and highlighted criticism from the Lib Dems, Conservatives, and Reform. The tone was analytical with a strong political context.
- “Andy Burnham today is talking about wanting high streets to look a bit nicer, making it clear what a high street should look like.”
- “There is a reason, a voting reason, why Labour would want to do this, as well.”
This channel heavily tied the policy to the BBC's own investigative journalism, framing the announcement as a direct response to 18 months of undercover reporting on organised crime on high streets. The report featured footage from those investigations, interviews with the Prime Minister, and local reactions. The tone was self-referential and celebratory of the BBC's role in driving change.
- “What has been your reaction to the BBC's reporting? I followed your coverage and had conversations with Greater Manchester Police about it when I was mayor.”
- “The big question is what difference will these new powers, new laws make?”
This channel provided a balanced, human-interest angle by speaking directly to local business owners, including a bakery and a vape shop in Ilkeston. It gave voice to concerns that the policy might be 'window dressing' and that legitimate vape shops are being unfairly targeted. The tone was grounded and empathetic, focusing on the practical impact on small businesses.
- “If Andy Burnham doesn't want vape shops, he has got to decide what he does want and how he is going to encourage those types of businesses to exist.”
- “It feels like they are towing all vape shops with the same brush.”
ITV focused on the challenge of replacing closed shops and the financial pressures on small businesses. The report from Dudley featured market traders and the owner of a 200-year-old sweet shop, who said it had 'never been harder' to run a business. The tone was critical, suggesting the policy might create more empty shops without addressing business rates or online competition.
- “If you were starting now, would you open a high street shop? No.”
- “Getting rid of what people don't want may be easier than finding something to replace it.”
This channel largely repeated the same report as the earlier BBC ONE West broadcast, again emphasising the link to the BBC's investigations and the prime minister's direct acknowledgment of them. It framed the policy as a response to public concern and organised crime, with a focus on enforcement and community power.
- “Are you the prime minister to fix our high streets and when will we start seeing and feeling a difference?”
- “I'm going to give it the biggest go I possibly can because I know how much this concerns people.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.