Andy Burnham has signalled that his government will look to reintroduce a 50p top rate of income tax, warning that support for households struggling with the cost of living will need to be paid for by wealthier taxpayers. The comments come as Burnham settles into Downing Street following his elevation to Prime Minister, a move that has already triggered a major reshuffle of the Cabinet.

The tax signal follows a turbulent start to his premiership, with Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Starmer loyalists including David Lammy, Steve Reed and Peter Kyle removed from their posts, while prisons minister Lord Timpson has resigned from government. Burnham has so far offered few policy specifics beyond a pledge to "be better" than his predecessor and hints of a shift leftward, leaving questions over how a higher top tax rate would be implemented and how much revenue it might raise.