Andy Burnham urged to be radical on economy to help Labour win next election
Exclusive: Poll shows policies such as rent control and higher wealth taxes could fend off Reform UK in key seatsAndy Burnham is being urged to adopt an “economic populist” approac
By The Guardian
Andy Burnham is being urged to adopt a radical, economically populist approach to the cost of living crisis if he becomes prime minister, as a detailed opinion poll suggests such policies could help Labour retain its majority at the next election. Senior figures advising the Makerfield MP are circulating a seat-by-seat analysis showing Labour’s majority could be demolished at the next general election, with the party on course to win fewer than 100 seats.
The poll indicates that radical policies, including rent control and higher wealth taxes, could fend off Reform UK in key seats and help Labour fend off the threat of losing its majority. Burnham, who rose to prominence as mayor of Greater Manchester and has been dubbed the King of the North, is expected to unveil his economic agenda in his first major policy speech since Keir Starmer announced his resignation last week.
His address at a museum in Manchester is being seen as his pitch to lead the country after a decade away from Westminster, with devolving power to regions and local communities as his flagship proposal. He will also commit to a 10-year mission to raise living standards through reindustrialisation, housing, infrastructure and reform of utilities.
Burnham has said he would not raise taxes on workers, sticking to a Starmer pledge, and has suggested policies that include easing the tax burden on businesses and possibly reversing an increase in a tax employers pay to fund pensions, public health care and welfare. He promotes what has been called Manchesterism, a business-friendly socialist approach that involves harnessing private investment for major projects and decentralising government to give communities more control of housing, utilities, transportation and education.
Burnham has also spoken of reshaping the political system, such as replacing the House of Lords with an elected senate and introducing proportional representation in voting. The advice to Burnham comes as Labour faces the risk of losing its majority, with the party on course to win fewer than 100 seats at the next general election according to the seat-by-seat poll.
The poll suggests that adopting rent control and higher wealth taxes could help Labour fend off Reform UK in key seats and retain its majority. Burnham is being urged to adopt an economic populist approach to combating the cost of living crisis if he becomes prime minister, as the detailed opinion poll shows radical policies could help Labour to retain its majority at the next election.
Senior figures advising the Makerfield MP have been circulating a seat-by-seat poll showing Labour’s majority could be demolished at the next general election with the party on course to win fewer than 100 seats. The poll indicates that radical policies, including rent control and higher wealth taxes, could fend off Reform UK in key seats and help Labour fend off the threat of losing its majority.
Burnham, who rose to prominence as mayor of Greater Manchester and has been dubbed the King of the North, is expected to unveil his economic agenda in his first major policy speech since Keir Starmer announced his resignation last week. His address at a museum in Manchester is being seen as his pitch to lead the country after a decade away from Westminster, with devolving power to regions and local communities as his flagship proposal.
He will also commit to a 10-year mission to raise living standards through reindustrialisation, housing, infrastructure and reform of utilities. Burnham has said he would not raise taxes on workers, sticking to a Starmer pledge, and has suggested policies that include easing the tax burden on businesses and possibly reversing an increase in a tax employers pay to fund pensions, public health care and welfare.
He promotes what has been called Manchesterism, a business-friendly socialist approach that involves harnessing private investment for major projects and decentralising government to give communities more control of housing, utilities, transportation and education. Burnham has also spoken of reshaping the political system, such as replacing the House of Lords with an elected senate and introducing proportional representation in voting.
The advice to Burnham comes as Labour faces the risk of losing its majority, with the party on course to win fewer than 100 seats at the next general election according to the seat-by-seat poll. The poll suggests that adopting rent control and higher wealth taxes could help Labour fend off Reform UK in key seats and retain its majority.