Andy Burnham's easy-going public image masks a radical tax agenda backed by hard-left advisers, according to a new analysis. The Greater Manchester mayor, who is positioning himself for a future leadership bid, is surrounded by what critics describe as "spiteful class warriors" intent on squeezing more tax from homeowners, savers, and pensioners.
Burnham's Hard-Left Advisers Push Radical Tax Hikes
Louise Haigh, a former transport secretary who resigned after a fraud conviction, is now advising Burnham on economic policy. She has called for a "fundamental redesign" of the tax system, including higher capital gains tax and inheritance tax. Haigh also supports an "exit tax" on entrepreneurs leaving the UK, which critics say would be economically disastrous. "For every pound in tax she raised, she’d lose many more," the article warns.
Another key adviser, Peckham MP Miatta Fahnbulleh, advocates for even more extreme measures, including a basic income for all, higher National Insurance contributions for those earning over £50,000, and extending NI to pensioners. She also supports a four-day working week. The article describes these proposals as "madness bordering on imbecility."
Property and Land Tax Reforms Target Homeowners
Haigh also backs a new property and land tax to replace stamp duty and council tax. Critics argue this would be another tax grab hitting homeowners, including pensioners on low incomes who own their homes. The article claims such reforms would "kill growth, demoralise the nation, and send bond yields through the roof."
Ed Miliband Could Become Chancellor Under Burnham
Former Labour leader Ed Miliband, who was "decisively rejected by the country in 2015," is reportedly the frontrunner to become chancellor under a Burnham premiership. The article describes Miliband as someone who "destroys everything he touches" and is also in favour of hiking taxes. It warns that a Burnham-led government would represent a "hard-left coup by a bunch of cult-like zealots."
The article concludes that Burnham's team has not been honest with the British people about their tax plans, and that the impact on wallets will be severe. "Get out your wallets. They’re coming for you," it warns.
