A UK government minister has declined to rule out introducing a "wealth tax" in the upcoming Budget, as a group of wealthy individuals, including former footballer and broadcaster Gary Lineker, publicly campaign for higher levies on assets held by the rich. The intervention has proved divisive, with critics branding the millionaires' campaign as "virtue-signalling" and economists warning that such a tax could prove counterproductive or difficult to implement.

The minister's refusal to dismiss the idea has fuelled speculation that the Treasury is actively considering some form of wealth-based levy as it looks to raise revenue. Lineker is among the prominent, wealthy figures publicly backing calls for a tax on assets, while sceptics, including economists, have cautioned against the policy, citing practical and economic concerns about its design and effects.