Andy Burnham reveals ‘Amazon tax’ business rates plan to save pubs and high streets
Andy Burnham has signaled he will introduce a so-called “Amazon tax” along with a major reform of business rates in a bid to save Britain’s high streets.
The former mayor of Manchester, who is now prime minister-in-waiting, told Andrew Marr on LBC that Labor plans to stick to promises in its 2024 election manifesto not to increase income tax, VAT or national insurance personal contributions.
But he said he would look at increasing business rates at giant warehouses that have sprung up to serve huge online retailers such as Amazon, while also removing high street shops and pubs from having to pay business rates.
But the recently elected Makerfield MP said he had not yet decided who would be chancellor when he is expected to be announced as Britain’s next prime minister on July 20; despite speculation that it could be energy minister Ed Miliband or former health secretary Wes Streeting.
Explaining why he did not choose someone to guide economic policy, he said: “It’s been a bit frustrating for me over the last two weeks, because Westminster is going into its normal mode and wanting to speculate endlessly about policy and personalities before giving direction. I very consciously said ‘no, I’ll set a new direction for the country first’.”
However, on taxes, he noted: “I remain loyal to the manifesto and its promises. So let me be absolutely clear about this.”
But he added: “There is some room for movement in the tax in this manifesto, so if you take business rates for example, I believe there is a case for higher business rates in warehouses and the big developments we are seeing on the outskirts of our cities so we can reduce business rates for pubs and I have also proposed a 20 per cent cut and excluding some high street businesses from business rates altogether.
“I think it’s important to prioritize and reward businesses that do social good, businesses that bring people together, bars, restaurants, coffee shops, hairdressers, because the high street really needs to get more of our attention.”
Mr Burnham also stressed he plans to work with other parties wherever possible and suggested he could find common cause with Tory leader Kemi Badenoch in taking a much tougher approach to clearing out gangs.
On Wednesday, he added his voice to calls for the gang leader of the Rochdale grooming gang to be deported.
He said: “I often see people say to me, I’m just shouting on the radio, telling us what to do, and I think politicians should answer that call from the public, tell us what to do, but we should also try to find common ground that we can with other parties.”
“Britain needs something different. We’ve had a decade where politics hasn’t really been for the benefit of the people. We can’t do any more of the same.”
He admitted that politicians of his generation had “failed” and that they needed to offer something better.
Analyzing Sir Keir Starmer’s way of answering questions by talking about the record of previous Tory governments, he added: “You can’t go around pointing fingers if you’re not good enough.”
He promised to govern according to the three principles he developed in Manchester.
“I said first comes first, not the party, the problem is solved. It’s not about scoring points, it’s long term, it’s not short term, it’s about solving, and I think those are three good principles that will underpin British politics at a national level going forward.”
Mr Burnham did not confirm he would support a bank holiday if England won the men’s World Cup.
He said it “would be great” and added: “We tried hard to beat Congo, so let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”
