Andy Burnham pledges to reform business rates in first major policy speech

Andy Burnham has pledged to reform business rates “to support pubs and high street businesses” in his first major policy speech as Labour leadership contender.

The Makerfield MP and prime minister-in-waiting told the People’s History Museum in Manchester today (29 June) that high streets should become “the new symbol of Britain’s renaissance” instead of being “a marker of decline”.

It comes after Burnham vowed to slash business rates for pubs and music venues by a further 20% in his first policy pledge since announcing his ambition to become prime minister at the start of June. 

During today’s speech, Burnham added: “People need a bit extra now to help with rising costs. I will do my very best to deliver it and whilst not taking risks with the public finances will seek to give Britain some breathing space as soon as I can.

“People need to be able to look forward to a night out or a holiday with the kids. People need hope.”

The former mayor of Manchester also expressed concerns over the findings of the Alan Milburn report into Young People and Work, which last month revealed that one in eight 16 to 24-year-olds are not in education, employment or training.

He said he took the report “very seriously” and that the government needed “a complete rethink on how we support the next generation to succeed”.

Burnham suggested that by safeguarding sovereign manufacturing and production capability across critical industries, such as steel, defence, energy, food and farming, the UK will be able to provide “a much greater supply of 45-day work placements and apprenticeships for young people”.

After having stated the country is “stuck in a rut”, he promised to give Britain “the circuit breaker it needs” by cultivating “a more collaborative politics in Westminster”.

He added: “We need a new determination to raise living standards of every single person in this land and we must accept that to do that to fix the economy and the country we need to change politics and we need to do it now.”

After winning the Makerfield by-election on 18 June, Burnham was sworn in as its MP on 22 June – the same day that Keir Starmer announced he will resign as prime minister and leader of the Labour party.

If Burnham remains the only MP to enter the race to elect a new Labour party leader, he could take over as prime minister from Starmer in less than a month.

Hospitality operators have reacted with cautious optimism to Burnham’s Makerfield win, with some stating he was a “fantastic advocate for hospitality”, while others will look for “proof in action taken”.