Andy Burnham, the Greater Manchester mayor and frontrunner to replace Sir Keir Starmer after the upcoming Makerfield by-election, has been compared to the Sheriff of Nottingham over his stance on council tax reform. Critics argue his proposals to overhaul the system could disproportionately burden certain households, while supporters claim it would address longstanding inequities.
Burnham has argued that land is under-taxed, fuelling expectations that he could overhaul a council tax system that often leaves a modest terrace in the North of England paying more than a London mansion. More than a dozen Labour MPs, mostly from northern seats, wrote to Chancellor Rachel Reeves last autumn urging her to scrap the tax altogether.
Many Labour MPs believe they have finally found their moment to scrap a system they call 'a tax on deprivation' – and their hopes rest on Burnham. However, opponents have likened his approach to that of the legendary Sheriff of Nottingham, suggesting it could penalise homeowners unfairly.
The debate comes as Manchester has been identified as Britain's top hotspot for growth in average asking prices over the past decade, according to property website Rightmove. London languishes at the bottom of the list of percentage increases, though it remains the most expensive city with an average asking price of £687,080.
