The Times (August 5)
“The ruse to offset new ‘assets’ may allow the Burnham government to say it has not broken its fiscal rules,” but more borrowing “is still more borrowing. And more borrowing will mean more expensive interest payments….. Whether it is the NHS, benefits or the state pension, spending is too high. For the UK to avoid fiscal disaster, it must be restrained if the debt pile is ever to shrink. Rising borrowing cannot continue indefinitely.
Tags: Assets, Benefits, Borrowing, Burnham, Debt, Expensive, Fiscal disaster, Government, Interest payments, NHS, Offset, Pension, Ruse, Spending, UK
Reuters (July 21)
Upon becoming Prime Minister, Andy Burnham is eschewing “generic” appeals to grow the economy and instead focusing on specifics. He announced “plans to end rough sleeping and cut the 5% VAT on electricity bills.” He also plans to cap bus fares and reduce property taxes on pubs and other hospitality venues. “This more focused potholes-and-pockets approach from the ex-Manchester mayor might connect with voters and reduce the risk of more instability in a country that has had seven leaders in 10 years. But it risks delivering few long-term economic gains.”
Tags: Burnham, Bus fares. Property taxes, Economic gains, Economy, Electricity bills, Generic, Hospitality venues, Instability, Potholes-and-pockets, Prime minister, Pubs, Risks, Rough sleeping, VAT, Voters
The Times (June 29)
“Barring some unforeseen upset, in 20 days Andy Burnham will be prime minister. No other contender has so far emerged.” His suitability for the position, however, remains “wholly untested. Charm is not enough.” Before his looming “coronation… the country has three weeks to understand what Mr Burnham intends to do with the power so casually bestowed upon him by backbenchers desperate to draw a line under the reign of Sir Keir Starmer.”
Tags: Backbenchers, Burnham, Charm, Contender, Coronation, Desperate, Power, Prime minister, Suitability, Unforeseen, Untested, Upset
