Burnham won’t be bold enough to make devolution shift the dial on growth July 28, 2026 Within a year of Cornwall abolishing the 45p additional rate of income tax and reducing corporation tax to 15 per cent, hundreds of entrepreneurs and businesses, including dozens of major financial and professional services firms, had relocated to the county. The influx of private sector dynamism delivered an astonishing economic boost to a region that [...]
Andy Burnham will find there is a limit to tax rises July 28, 2026 Since tax increases are constrained by adverse behavioral responses and public resistance, the government must prioritise improving long-stagnant public sector efficiency, says Paul Ormerod A brand new Cabinet is in place, with ministers eager to introduce new spending plans to demonstrate that they are making an impact. To pay for these, a range of potential [...]
Andy Burnham must shake Britain out of ‘analysis paralysis’ and get building July 28, 2026 To address the UK’s broken infrastructure delivery model, Arup advocates for a new approach that prioritizes locally-led, outcome-focused projects and creative financing to better connect communities and drive economic growth, says Andrew Nothstine Andy Burnham has already set out his governing philosophy and guiding aims. His ‘north stars’ are economic growth in every postcode through [...]
‘Moron premium’ – Westminster turmoil has ‘cost taxpayers £35bn’ since 2022 July 28, 2026 Secretive plotters and vengeful strategists in Westminster have cost taxpayers around £35bn since 2020, new research by one of the world’s top insurance companies has found. In a study into the costs of political fragility facing European governments, researchers at Allianz Trade found that the UK government continued to pay a “distinct political premium” due [...]
Industry hits out at rumours as No 10 denies plan to abolish stamp duty and council tax July 27, 2026 Andy Burnham is “not considering” scrapping stamp duty and council tax, Downing Street has said, as the government moves to pour cold water on rumours of major tax changes that had spooked property sector leaders. Business chiefs condemned the government over the danger of property tax speculation after reports over the weekend suggested that Burnham [...]
Burnham and Healey face investor fury over summer of tax speculation July 27, 2026 Andy Burnham and John Healey are contending with a growing backlash from investors after another summer of tax speculation looks set to leave financial managers on edge. The chief executive of one of the UK’s biggest investment platforms, AJ Bell, urged Chancellor Healey to take a more emphatic approach on ruling out tax hikes across [...]
Exclusive: Jobs lost across Labour’s ‘growth potential’ sectors in blow to Burnham July 27, 2026 In a blow to the government’s plans to boost employment, eight sectors previously identified as having high growth potential in Labour’s industrial strategy have suffered job losses, according to a report seen by City AM. The so-called ‘IS-8’ sectors, which include life sciences, financial services and defence, were singled out by the UK government last [...]
Breaking up the science department is a setback for Britain’s AI ambitions July 27, 2026 Spreading AI across four different departments is a mistake Andy Burnham will come to regret, says Eliot Wilson Last Tuesday, on his first full day as Prime Minister, Andy Burnham killed the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. That has set back the UK’s approach to science policy by several years, for reasons which are [...]
Burnham backs plan to pump £1bn pension funds into start-ups July 27, 2026 Andy Burnham’s government is set to spearhead a new £1bn fund that will channel cash from some of the country’s biggest pension schemes into start-ups. Pension funds including Nest, the workplace scheme set up by the government, Railpen, Border to Coast and the Local Pensions Partnership Investments (LPPI) are set to back the new government-led [...]
Burnham vows to ‘get serious’ about slashing welfare bill July 27, 2026 Andy Burnham has vowed that he will “get serious” about slashing the welfare bill, as the Prime Minister hunts savings to boost defence spending. “We’ve got to get really serious as a country [about] getting the welfare bill down,” Burnham told the BBC in his first full interview since becoming Prime Minister last week. He [...]