Andy Burnham has kicked off his ‘cost of living’ government with a flurry of announcements – starting with removing VAT from household energy bills and restoring the £2 cap on bus fares in England. But he has already rowed back on a potential rise in the tax-free personal allowance.
On Talking Politics, Tom Bradby and Robert Peston ask whether support is really being targeted towards those who most need it and whether it is ambitious enough to turn the country around. They also discuss his promise to end to factionalism, which coincided with a purge of the Starmerites.
Tom also asks Robert to explain exactly what ‘war bonds’ are and whether some creative government accounting could actually help solve the defence funding dilemma. Plus Robert analyses what the abolishment of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology means for AI in the UK.
00:00 Intro – Rowing back on personal tax allowance?
00:28 Promotions for Starmer quitters while Starmerites purged
05:18 ‘Not very Labour, not very ambitious’ Peston’s analysis of the VAT cut
08:48 AI minister in cabinet but department cut – why it matters
12:14 Burnham on the tax-free personal allowance
15:26 Peston on Burnham rowing back on things: "In a way, I quite like that"
22:15 Could tax-free personal allowance rise be in the budget?
27:31 What are ‘war bonds’ and could they help increase defence spending?
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