Andy Burnham has declined to rule out raising taxes in his autumn Budget, saying he would not be “unrealistic” about the state of the public finances.
Speaking to ITV News while in Ukraine on Monday, the Prime Minister vowed to take a “careful approach” to the country’s finances – and said he “won’t take risks” with people’s jobs or livelihoods.
However, Burnham did admit that the UK is in a “challenging position” financially.
He said: “Whatever I do will be carefully thought through. It will be funded. That is exactly what I have done so far but there will be more to come as we go into the autumn.”
Shorts
Scroll to previous short
Scroll to next short
Nigella Lawson makes Great British Bake Off debut in trailer
Fans of the Great British Bake Off got a sneak preview of Nigella Lawson making her debut as a new judge on the programme ahead of the new season releasing next month.
Caption: MIAMI BEACH, FL – FEBRUARY 26: Nigella Lawson attends a Dinner Hosted By Nigella Lawson – Part of The NYT Cooking Dinner Series during 2016 Food Network & Cooking Channel South Beach Wine & Food Festival Presented By FOOD & WINE at Soho Beach House on February 26, 2016 in Miami Beach, Florida. (Photo by Rodrigo Varela/Getty Images for SOBEWFF??)
Photographer: Rodrigo Varela
Source: Getty Images North America
Copyright: 2016 Getty Images
The Bake Off lineup
Caption: LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 18: Prue Leith backstage ahead of the Vin + Omi: Dysphoriana show during London Fashion Week September 2025 at Art’otel London on September 18, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)
Photographer: Gareth Cattermole
Provider: Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images
Source: Getty Images Europe
Copyright: 2025 Getty Images
The TV chef, 66, was recently announced to be taking the place of Dame Prue Leith after nine series on the show.
She will join fellow judge Paul Hollywood, alongside presenters Noel Fielding and Alison Hammond.
Caption: WINDSOR, ENGLAND – APRIL 17: Paul Hollywood after being made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) at an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle on April 17, 2024 in Windsor, England. (Photo by Andrew Matthews – WPA Pool/Getty Images)
Photographer: WPA Pool
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Getty Images Europe
Copyright: PA
Caption: LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 10: Alison Hammond attends the NTA’s 2025 at The O2 Arena on September 10, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Joe Maher/Getty Images for the NTA’s)
Photographer: Joe Maher
Provider: Getty Images for the NTA’s
Source: Getty Images Europe
Copyright: 2025 Getty Images
Filming is complete on the series, with Lawson saying that she has “loved every minute”.
How did she get here?
Now a household name, Lawson graduated from Oxford and worked as a journalist before becoming a food writer. She won the British Book Award for author of the year in 2001 and then moved into TV.
Caption: EMBARGOED TO 2100 SUNDAY AUGUST 16
Undated handout photo issued by Channel 4 of Nigella Lawson (second right) with fellow judge Paul Hollywood (left) and hosts Alison Hammond and Noel Fielding ahead of the new series of the Channel 4 baking contest, The Great British Bake Off. Issue date: Sunday August 16, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Channel 4/Love Productions/PA Wire
NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
Photographer: Channel 4/Love Productions
Provider: Channel 4/Love Productions/PA Wire
Source: PA
Copyright: PA
She began with her Channel 4 show Nigella Bites, before crossing over to ITV and then the BBC.
world news
China’s top robots compete at ‘Olympics’
Caption: A humanoid robot pair performs in a dance event during the 2nd World Humanoid Robot Games at the National Speed Skating Oval in Beijing on August 25, 2026. (Photo by WANG Zhao / AFP via Getty Images)
Photographer: WANG ZHAO
Provider: AFP via Getty Images
Source: AFP
Copyright: AFP or licensors
More than 2,000 humanoid robots are participating in the second World Humanoid Robot Games which started on Saturday.
China was keen to showcase its rapid progress with the technology and one of its robots, Lightning, beat the human 100m sprint record, clocking a time of 9.32 seconds compared to Usain Bolt’s 9.58 seconds.
The games in pictures
Caption: BEIJING, CHINA – AUGUST 25: Humanoid robots compete in the 100-meter small group event on day 4 of the 2nd World Humanoid Robot Games at National Speed Skating Oval on August 25, 2026 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Cui Jun/Beijing Youth Daily/VCG via Getty Images)
Photographer: Beijing Youth Daily
Provider: VCG via Getty Images
Source: Visual China Group
Caption: BEIJING, CHINA – AUGUST 25: Humanoid robots compete in a football match on day 4 of the 2nd World Humanoid Robot Games at National Speed Skating Oval on August 25, 2026 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Wang Weiwei/VCG via Getty Images)
Photographer: VCG
Provider: VCG via Getty Images
Source: Visual China Group
Caption: A humanoid robot hits a return in a table tennis match during the 2nd World Humanoid Robot Games at the National Speed Skating Oval in Beijing on August 25, 2026. (Photo by WANG Zhao / AFP via Getty Images)
Photographer: WANG ZHAO
Provider: AFP via Getty Images
Source: AFP
Copyright: AFP or licensors
Trepidation from the US
China makes the majority of the world’s humanoid robots, something which the US has made clear it is wary of.
Caption: BEIJING, CHINA – AUGUST 25: Humanoid robots compete in kickboxing event on day 4 of the 2nd World Humanoid Robot Games at National Speed Skating Oval on August 25, 2026 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Cui Jun/Beijing Youth Daily/VCG via Getty Images)
Photographer: Beijing Youth Daily
Provider: VCG via Getty Images
Source: Visual China Group
Last month, the US Federal Communications Commission announced a ban on imports of new foreign-made humanoid robots, citing national security reasons.
The Pentagon recently added Chinese robot maker Unitree to its list of companies deemed to have ties to the Chinese military.
The future of humanoid robots
Experts say humanoid robots are still mostly used for performances, demonstrations and research and it will take time for mass real-world deployment.
The games are taking place in the National Speed Skating Oval built for the 2022 Winter Olympics and opened the same week as Beijing held the 2026 World Robot Conference.
4 min read
4 min read
Andrew Tate rented supercars to appear ‘uberwealthy’
Legal representatives for Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan have claimed the pair deliberately portray themselves as much wealthier than they are because their “business model depends on online attention”.
Caption: British-US former professional kickboxer and controversial influencer Andrew Tate (L) and his brother Tristan Tate (R) speak to journalists after having been released from detention in Bucharest, Romania on March 12, 2024, after they appeared in a court after Romanian police detained them over UK sex offence charges. A Bucharest court on March 12 granted a request to extradite controversial influencer Andrew Tate to the UK over sex offence charges, but only after the conclusion of legal proceedings in Romania in a separate case. The Bucharest appeals court ruling “orders the execution of the warrant of arrest issued on 19 January 2024” by the Westminster Magistrates’ Court, but postpones extradition “until the final resolution of the case” in Romania, which could take years. (Photo by Daniel MIHAILESCU / AFP) (Photo by DANIEL MIHAILESCU/AFP via Getty Images)
Photographer: DANIEL MIHAILESCU
Provider: AFP via Getty Images
Source: AFP
Copyright: AFP or licensors
Legal proceedings against brothers
The submissions follow British police seeking the Tate brothers’ extradition from the US as part of an investigation into alleged sexual offences, which the brothers deny.
Separately, Andrew Tate is being sued in England by four women over allegations of sexual violence.
4 min read
Exclusive
3 min read
A closer look at the detail
The brothers’ legal representatives listed a number of items that they have shared pictures of online, but do not actually own.
Caption: LONDON, UNITED KINDOM – APRIL 17: The Bugatti Chiron Sport 110 ANS at Salon Prive London on April 17,2026 held at the Royal Chelsea Hospital in London,England. Many manufactures unveil their newest cars. (Photo by Martyn Lucy/Getty Images)
Photographer: Martyn Lucy
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Getty Images Europe
This included a superyacht which featured in a promotional video, a $2.1m Aston Martin and five and seven million dollar Bugattis. They added that the valuation of Andrew Tate’s watch collection “is based on a third-party enthusiast publication.”
The charges against the Tates
Caption: BUCHAREST, ROMANIA – MARCH 23: Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan Tate talk to the media outside their residence on March 23, 2025 in Bucharest, Romania. Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan had flown to the United States last month from Romania, where they have been charged with rape, having sex with a minor, human trafficking and money laundering, charges which they deny. Their bail conditions stipulated that they had to return to Romania by March 23. (Photo by Andrei Pungovschi/Getty Images)
Photographer: Andrei Pungovschi
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Getty Images Europe
Copyright: 2025 Getty Images
After the brothers’ arrests in July, the Crown Prosecution Service said it was bringing a further 38 charges against them, in addition to 21 existing charges.
Andrew Tate was charged with seven further counts of rape and three counts of arranging or facilitating trafficking among other charges.
Tristan Tate, was charged with one count of sexual assault, two counts of rape and three counts of arranging or facilitating trafficking for sexual exploitation.
Brothers ‘unequivocally’ deny any wrongdoing
The pair have previously “unequivocally” denied wrongdoing, with Andrew Tate describing himself and his brother as “very innocent men”.
2 min read
Analysis
4 min read
The most expensive moving day of the year is this week
August 28 could be four times busier than a normal moving day and as a result, much more expensive.
Caption: A female couple enjoying a break from moving house
Photographer: Dougal Waters
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Digital Vision
High demand raises prices
Research by the HomeOwners Alliance estimated that nearly 23,000 households will be moving this Friday, with the surging demand pushing up prices.
Analysis by Moving Compared and AnyVan also pointed to Fridays at the end of the month, weekends and the month of August being the most expensive times to move.
Save Britain’s Rivers
3 min read
Analysis
3 min read
When is it cheaper to move?
Tuesday and Wednesday were generally the cheapest days to move, according to Moving Compared. The research found that costs could rise by as much as £500, depending on when you decide to move.
Photographer: Maskot
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Digital Vision
Copyright: Copyright Maskot
Moving Compared also warned that whilst Fridays are convenient, they are the “least forgiving day” because there is no working day afterwards to resolve problems.
television
Kit Harington joins HBO’s Harry Potter – who else is in the cast?
Caption: Kit Harington at Disney 2026 Upfront Red Carpet held at North Javits Center on May 12, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Kristina Bumphrey/Variety via Getty Images)
Photographer: Kristina Bumphrey
Provider: Variety via Getty Images
Source: Variety
Copyright: photographickris_2026
Kit Harington is joining the HBO Harry Potter TV series as famous author turned Hogwarts professor Gilderoy Lockhart.
He is replacing Nicholas Hoult, who left due to scheduling issues, according to HBO. Here is everyone else currently cast in the show.
The big names we know so far
Caption: NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JUNE 07: John Lithgow, the Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play award for Giant, attends The 79th Annual Tony Awards Media Room at 3 West Club on June 07, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)
Photographer: Mike Coppola
Provider: Getty Images for Tony Awards Pro
Source: Getty Images North America
Copyright: 2026 Getty Images
John Lithgow
The veteran actor, with his collection of Emmys and Oscars, will take the role of Dumbledore.
Nick Frost
Frost will don the shaggy beard of Hogwarts groundskeeper Hagrid.
Caption: LONDON, ENGLAND – MAY 10: Nick Frost attends the 2026 BAFTA Television Awards with P&O Cruises at The Royal Festival Hall on May 10, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Tristan Fewings/BAFTA/Getty Images for BAFTA)
Photographer: Tristan Fewings/BAFTA
Provider: Getty Images for BAFTA
Source: BAFTA
Copyright: 2026 Getty Images
Caption: LONDON, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 22: Warwick Davis attends the 2026 EE BAFTA Film Awards at The Royal Festival Hall on February 22, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Samir Hussein/WireImage)
Photographer: Samir Hussein
Provider: WireImage
Source: WireImage
Copyright: 2026 Samir Hussein
Warwick Davis
A returning cast member, Davis will continue his original role as master of charms Professor Filius Flitwick.
A closer look at the detail
Cast members have faced some backlash for their decision to join the show, from those who are opposed to J K Rowling’s views on gender identity and trans rights.
Arabella Stanton, Dominic McLaughlin, and Alastair Stout, who will portray Hermione Granger, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley in the HBO series ‘Harry Potter’ (Photo: Aidan Monaghan/HBO via AP)
Caption: Undated handout photo issued by HBO Max of Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter in the new HBO Max Harry Potter series. Issue date: Wednesday March 25, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Aidan Monaghan/HBO Max/PA Wire
NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
Photographer: Aidan Monaghan/HBO Max
Provider: Aidan Monaghan/HBO Max/PA Wire
Source: PA
The HBO series is expected to take 10 years to complete, as producers plan multiple seasons covering each of Rowling’s seven books, which the eight blockbuster films were originally based on.
The other names to watch
Harry Potter – Dominic Mclaughlin
Hermione Granger – Arabella Stanton
Ron Weasley – Alastair Stout
Garrick Ollivander – Anton Lesser
Neville Longbottom – Rory Wilmot
Madam Hooch – Louise Brealey
Professor McGonagall – Janet McTeer
Professor Snape – Paapa Essiedu
Draco Malfoy – Lox Pratt
The other names to watch
Lucius Malfoy – Johnny Flynn
Petunia Dursley – Bel Powley
Vernon Dursley – Daniel Rigby
Dudley Dursley – Amos Kitson
Molly Weasley – Katherine Parkinson
Cornelius Fudge – Bertie Carvel
Professor Quirrell – Luke Thallon
Filch – Paul Whitehouse
go deeper on this topic
The Harry Potter
cast have cursed themselves for ever
A part in HBO’s Harry Potter is an irresistible opportunity for an actor, but I do wonder if any of the cast are regretting their decision to get involved. Any association with Rowling is a drink from a poisoned chalice – a curse that will never lift. Is it worth it?
Caption: Britain’s Prime Minister Andy Burnham peaks during a TV interview at The Hub cafe following a visit to the town centre of Ilkeston, Derbyshire, central England on August 11, 2026. (Photo by Toby Shepheard / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)
Photographer: TOBY SHEPHEARD
Provider: POOL/AFP via Getty Images
Source: AFP
Copyright: AFP or Licensors
politics
The seven taxes Burnham could raise to fund his spending spree
Andy Burnham has declined to rule out raising taxes in his autumn Budget, saying he would not be “unrealistic” about the state of the public finances and vowed to take a “careful approach”.
Raising income tax, national insurance or VAT
These are the biggest revenue raising levers at Chancellor John Healey’s disposal, making up 54 per cent of the tax base. But Labour’s 2024 general election manifesto committed not to raise any of these.
Chancellor of the Exchequer John Healey arrives in Downing Street to attend the first Cabinet meeting hosted by Andy Burnham earlier this month (Photo: Wiktor Szymanowicz/Future Publishing via Getty Images)
Burnham also pledged to do the same, so going back on his word would be extremely damaging for a Prime Minister who has made much about restoring trust.
Equalising Capital Gains Tax
This is one of the more likely options and currently sits at 18 per cent for basic-rate income taxpayers and 24 per cent for higher and additional-rate taxpayers.
Raising the tax is popular in the Labour Party; however, predictions on how much it would raise range from £14bn to actually costing the Treasury money if people delayed asset sales or moved overseas.
3 min read
3 min read
Wealth tax
Lineker has called out the BBC’s remote coverage (Photo: Getty)
Burnham has faced calls for this from the left and last month Gary Lineker was among 120 so-called “Patriotic Millionaires” who signed a letter backing paying more tax in the form of a 2 per cent levy on wealth over £10m.
Some economists claim that it could raise £10bn a year and only affect the 1,000 most affluent households, but sceptics have said it could lead to wealthy individuals ceasing to be UK tax residents or “gaming” the valuation of their assets.
Pension tax changes
The Government could cut the size of the tax-free lump sum people can take from their pensions, which is either 25 per cent of the amount or £268,275 – whichever is lower.
Another option would be to limit pension tax relief. However, this would be a bold and risky step, with Sir Keir Starmer previously facing a hugely damaging backlash after cutting winter fuel payments.
4 min read
4 min read
Sin taxes
Burnham could target business sectors or activities which he thinks are “anti-social” or damaging for people – with him already focusing on reducing reliefs for vape shops and betting establishments.
Caption: LONDON – NOVEMBER 10: A general view of a Vape Shop selling vaping products on November 10, 2025 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by John Keeble/Getty Images)
Photographer: John Keeble
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Getty Images Europe
Copyright: 2025 John Keeble
Caption: A person smokes a cigarette in Krakow, Poland on January 30, 2026. (Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Photographer: NurPhoto
Provider: NurPhoto via Getty Images
Source: NurPhoto
Copyright: Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto
Healey could also raise taxes on cigarettes, vapes, unhealthy food and alcohol. These tax raises often incur little political cost but tend to raise trivial sums.
It is not clear how much Burnham and his Chancellor John Healey might have to raise on 28 October.
The Government will have to find at least £4.7bn to cover a gap left by former chancellor Rachel Reeves in funding the Defence Investment Plan. Healey resigned as defence secretary from Sir Keir Starmer’s cabinet – pushing Starmer closer to the exit – over what he said was an inadequate defence plan.
Burnham has already announced a number of cost of living measures – such as removing VAT from electricity bills and cutting the cost of bus fares – and is promising more. These commitments will have to be paid for.
At the same time, Healey’s fiscal headroom – the breathing space which the Government gives itself against its own fiscal rules constraining borrowing – is likely to have shrunk from the £22bn left by Reeves in her final Budget as a result of the ongoing economic impact of the Iran war.
So what are Burnham’s options?
Raising income tax, national insurance or VAT
The biggest revenue raising levers which Healey has at his disposal relate to income tax, national insurance and VAT, which make up 54 per cent of the tax base.
However, Labour’s 2024 general election manifesto committed not to raise any of these taxes, and Burnham has repeatedly said he will stick to the commitment.
Going back on the manifesto – and his own word – would be extremely damaging for a Prime Minister who has made much about restoring trust in politics.
Political risk rating: 4/5. Having ruled it out, it seems inconceivable that Burnham would U-turn on the commitment by the 28 October Budget – unless there was some major economic shock which meant all bets were off.
Equalising Capital Gains Tax
One of the more likely options would be to raise capital gains tax (CGT), which currently sits at 18 per cent for basic-rate income taxpayers and 24 per cent for higher and additional-rate taxpayers. CGT is levied on gains made when an asset – like equity in a company or a second home – is sold.
Raising the tax is popular in the Labour Party. It has previously been backed by Burnham’s second-in-command, First Secretary of State Louise Haigh and the Defence Secretary Wes Streeting – albeit both before their roles in Burnham’s Cabinet were confirmed.
Streeting has called equalising CGT with the income tax rates of 20, 40 and 45 per cent a “wealth tax that works”, and the idea is also supported by former Labour leader Lord Neil Kinnock, who Burnham has identified as a mentor.
How much money CGT equalisation would raise is fiercely contested. The Institute for Public Policy Research think-tank has claimed it could raise £14bn a year, but sceptics suggest it could actually end up costing the Treasury money if people delayed asset sales or moved overseas.
Nimesh Shah, chief executive of tax firm Blick Rothenberg, said: “Even if full alignment is considered a step too far, the Government may narrow the gap by increasing CGT rates – to say 30 per cent – reducing reliefs or tightening exemptions.”
Political risk rating: 2/5. As well as being popular on the left, CGT is paid by a relatively small number of people, with just 32,000 taxpayers accounting for 80 per cent of CGT payments. As tax rises go, it would not be particularly politically painful, although Burnham’s opponents would accuse him of being anti-entrepreneurial.
Wealth tax
Burnham has faced calls from figures on the left to introduce some sort of wealth tax.
Last month, former footballer and broadcaster Gary Lineker was among 120 so-called “Patriotic Millionaires” who signed a letter backing paying more tax in the form of a 2 per cent levy on wealth over £10m.
Economists and academics at the Paris School of Economics and King’s College London claim that such a tax could raise £10bn a year for the Exchequer and affect only the 1,000 most affluent households.
However, sceptics such as tax expert Dan Neidle have said that the policy would be highly vulnerable to a small number of wealthy individuals ceasing to be UK tax residents or “gaming” the valuation of their assets. Carrying out regular valuations would also be extremely complicated. Neidle said last month: “The problems with the wealth tax are serious. That’s why no country in the world has ever implemented a tax like the one proposed.”
Political risk rating: 2/5. Polling suggests that a wealth tax along the lines of the “Patriotic Millionaires” would be popular. The more important issue is that it could be unworkable.
Pension tax changes
There has been persistent speculation that the Government could cut the size of the tax-free lump sum people can take from their pensions, which is either 25 per cent of the amount or £268,275 – whichever is lower.
Another option would be to limit pension tax relief. If you pay into a pension, you receive relief at whatever income tax rate you pay, so higher rate payers get more generous tax relief.
Political risk rating: 3/5. Tax changes adversely affecting older people would be a bold step. There is a reason why the state pension triple lock has appeared almost impervious to reform, and why Sir Keir Starmer’s decision to cut winter fuel payments provoked a hugely damaging backlash: older people vote.
Sin taxes
Burnham could target business sectors or activities which he thinks are “anti-social” or damaging for people.
The Prime Minister has already signalled a shift in this direction, saying that the 20 per cent business rates cut for pubs, clubs, and small live music venues will be funded by reducing reliefs for stores perceived as causing social harm – specifically vape shops and betting establishments.
Healey could also raise taxes on cigarettes, vapes, unhealthy food and alcohol – though on the latter, the tendency in recent years has been for politicians to trumpet tiny price cuts on the cost of pints in pubs. Capital Economics has suggested that sin taxes could raise £1bn.
Political risk rating: 1/5. With the exception of alcohol, sin taxes incur little political cost. The bigger problem with them is that they tend to raise trivial sums.