Council tax and stamp duty reform more likely as Burnham wins Red Wall backing

Likely next PM has said there is 'some room for movement' on tax close Cancel email WhatsApp link share Share bookmark Save Andy Burnham has won the backing of influential Labour MPs from the party’s former “Red Wall” heartlands for a radical overhaul of Britain’s tax system that could see land and property owners in London and the South East hit with a new levy based on the value of their assets. The Labour Red Wall Group of more than 40 MPs have added their voice to calls to scrap council tax and stamp duty and replace them with a proportional property tax – a flat rate levy based on the value of a home. In a statement given to The i Paper, the group described council tax as “broken”, “unfair” and “indefensible”, pointing out that bills are still calculated using property valuations frozen in 1991. Shorts How sleep and your heart health are linked Adults who regularly sleep fewer than seven hours are at increased risk of high blood pressure, obesity, heart attack and diabetes. The risk of coronary artery disease is 45 per cent higher in adults with short sleep durations at night. LIFESTYLE Five-minute exercises for a strong and healthy heart – without doing cardio 4 min read The bedtime habits that reduce risk Consistency Keep daytime naps to less than 20 minutes and aim for seven to eight hours sleep per night. Wind down A reasonable 20-30 minute bedtime routine can include reading, light stretching, and meditation. Time your exercise Vigorous exercise within three hours of bedtime can cause insomnia. The bedroom environment Sleeping in a bedroom with bright overhead light has been associated with a higher risk of major cardiovascular events, including heart attack (47 per cent higher risk), stroke (28 per cent) and heart failure. Darken the room with blackout blinds or an eye mask, avoid blue light and leave your mobile phone outside your bedroom. The bedtime habits that reduce risk Food and drink Alcohol, nicotine, caffeine and large evening meals can all disrupt sleep quality. Know your numbers If your blood pressure at bedtime is consistently high, consider discussing medication with your GP. Beware of snoring Sleep-disordered breathing is linked with cardiovascular conditions, so it could be time for a GP evaluation. HEALTH Reflecting on the early signs of dementia Three families reflect on the early signs of the illness, which affected their parents. They include the things they missed or dismissed, what they’d do differently and what they’d want other people in the same position to know. Robert and his mother Joyce She fell for a scam One of the first incidents that rang alarm bells for Robert was his mum falling victim to a suspected scam from someone selling mattresses door-to-door. She also started to struggle with cooking and making her special dishes she’d been making for decades without a problem. LIFESTYLE These games are proven to lower your dementia risk – play them here 5 min read Did he tell his mother? We [had] just sort of played along with everything. But on one particularly bad day, I blurted it out over the phone, ‘Because you’ve got dementia, mum!’ She threatened to kill herself, which was very scary. Maybe it’s something I should have explained properly to her from the get-go. JOYCE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH ALZHEIMER’S IN HER EARLY SEVENTIES Rosie became a carer in her early thirties I think we missed some of the really early subtle signs. Rosie’s mother was diagnosed with Young Onset Alzheimer’s Disease at 58 but some symptoms, like brain fog, were put down to the menopause. She had become more forgetful, and was repeating herself, but as she had always “been scatty” it was dismissed. She became fixated It was on strange things like going to the same buffet. Chloe was just 14 when her mum, Sarah, was diagnosed with young onset frontotemporal dementia, a rare form of the disease. Another time Sarah, who was diagnosed in her forties, forgot how to boil an egg. On Saturdays, when she’d usually go shopping, she’d go out and come straight back home, almost like she was forgetting what she was going out for. Unused or unwanted subscriptions cost consumers £1.6bn. Writer Sadhbh O’Sullivan looked into her own forgotten subscriptions when she became a first-time buyer, and realised how much she was wasting on things she wasn’t using. The hidden spends that go unnoticed I’d long considered myself to be quite a reasonable spender. But the hidden costs across her bank accounts, like free trials that hadn’t been cancelled and memberships for abandoned services, proved otherwise. It was full of small amounts, £2.99 here, £4.50 there. These small amounts added up. The ghost subscriptions Sadhbh isn’t alone. 19% According to a Nationwide survey almost one in five Brits don’t use every platform they pay for. The bank suggests they could save as much as £400 a year by ditching them. 4.7 million National Trading Standards’ 2025 research found 4.7 million people were paying for subscriptions they didn’t know they’d signed up for. In 2024, a government report found unused and unwanted subscriptions cost consumers up to £1.6bn a year. How to deal with the subscriptions Hunt them down Banking apps usually list your ‘subscriptions’ separately from direct debits and standing orders so you can easily spot what you’re shelling out on. Check everything You can be debited through credit cards, E-payment services, your mobile phone bill, Apple Pay or Google Pay. How to deal with subscriptions Be honest Don’t vow to use a subscription you’re not going to, even if you have good intentions. Look over 13 months Many businesses have changed from monthly to annual payments so look further back. Future proof Make sure to track any subscriptions you have kept so you can cancel them, if need be, in future. Don’t be afraid of phone calls If companies don’t let you cancel online, don’t fear the customer service line. With TV and broadband, call the new customer number as it’s often answered more quickly. If you’re happy with the service, but not the price, speak to a real person that may offer a better deal. Look for a phone number and press the ‘thinking of leaving us’ option. It’s usually a fast track to a team with authority to offer bigger discounts. Donations to charity have increased dramatically But staff say many people treat their shops like a tip. Here they share the most useful donations they get, and the ones that drive them mad. People won’t buy the current donations The quality of donations over the last year has diminished. Claire Stockman, head of retail for St Luke’s Hospice [pictured], says many donations include used items from fast fashion like Boohoo and Primark, which they cannot sell for more than £2, if at all. What the workers see 60% of what comes into St Luke’s Hospice is unsellable, Stockman says. She adds its soiled, damaged beyond repair or smelly. Vinted Harriet, a volunteer at Crisis in Dalston, says people bring in clothes that are dirty and stained – things that they cannot sell on Vinted. She also sees dirty kitchenware and technology that no longer works. It’s not all bad Harriet says they still get their fair share of designer items. She’s seen a pair of Louboutins sell for around £400. People will buy high-end items even if they’re a little worn. First Person I saved £600 buying Christmas presents in charity shops (and no one knows) 5 min read The best donations There was a box donated after someone’s family had passed and in it were all these medals. I researched them and the whole collection ended up going for £2,340… JANE THURNELL-READ, VOLUNTEER AT THE OXFAM GENERAL SHOP IN EXETER What is a good donation? A good donation is anything new with tags on, anything that hasn’t been opened, or higher quality items. Items that have been well looked after are more likely to sell and generate a better price for charity too. Harriet adds that knick-knacks and wine glasses are surprise hits in her branch. The feeling of dread that the weekend is over is all too familiar. Here, psychologists, career consultants and sleep experts give their best advice on how to beat the gloom that the work week is looming… How to beat the Sunday scaries Pave the way on Friday Psychologist Maria-Teresa Daher-Cusack says to wrap up tasks and not to leave big or difficult things for Monday. And write a to-do list for the next week so you know what to expect when you return after the weekend. Get outside early Doctor Naheed Ali says getting out on a Sunday morning – not sleeping late – helps regulate the circadian rhythm that can become skewed over the weekend. How to avoid Sunday scaries On Sunday spend time away from technology to allow yourself a personal reset away from doom scrolling. Rebrand your Sunday evenings from a daunting time to relaxing. Career consultant Victoria McLean goes out for dinner or reads something unrelated to work. She also doesn’t check her inbox on a Sunday night as it can begin the dread. How to beat the Sunday scaries Sleep well Put yourself in the best position to rest by avoiding large meals, screens and caffeine. Structure your week If possible don’t stack your Mondays with high-pressure tasks. Find the fun daily Don’t just save joyful things for the weekend. On lunch breaks, try to do something you enjoy. Sometimes, you need to listen. If the Sunday scaries are constant, listen to them. If every Sunday fills you with dread and nothing seems to quell it it’s worth asking if it’s the job, the culture or the career itself. No one should spend half their weekend bracing for impact… ” says Victoria McLean The UK has one of the most stable electricity grids in the world. But no country’s energy system is 100 per cent secure and large-scale blackouts, although rare, are possible. Here’s how to prepare, and what could happen, if we do have a blackout. The immediate effects If the UK’s power went down tomorrow, these are the ways it is likely to impact you first. You’d get stuck in lifts, wherever you are in the lift shaft. Trains would be stopped as the signals depend on electricity. Traffic lights would stop working on the roads – leading to congestion or crashes. Contactless payments are likely to fail. Your Wi-Fi at home would stop working and communication becomes difficult. Fridges and freezers will turn off – unless you have a standalone generator – and food will spoil over time. Hospitals and water treatment works have their own backup generators so will keep going until their supply runs out. How transport would be affected For EV owners that are already on the road, Professor Keith Bell, who works in electricity planning, recommends that those with an EV with reasonable charge use it as a generator, like your own store of electricity. In the case of the power system going down, petrol isn’t a totally safe option as queues at petrol stations could be huge and places are likely to run out of fuel. The longer term effects The longer the power takes to return the worse things are likely to get. In 2021 Storm Arwen physically damaged power lines across the UK. During the 1977 New York blackout, which lasted 25 hours, there was civil unrest, resulting in widespread looting and arson, although intense heatwaves are thought to have exacerbated the situation. Things to buy now to prepare Battery radio To get updates during a power cut – a car radio can be used, but in severe weather it might be safer to stay inside. Bottled water A minimum of 2.5-3 litres of drinking water per person per day is recommended. Wind-up torch The Government recommends opting for torches over candles, for safety reasons. How to prepare A blackout is unlikely but we should make small changes. If possible, don’t let your petrol tank run down to almost empty. Keep it over half full so you’re never caught short. Always have a portable power bank, and spare batteries, to charge your phone and other essentials. As card machines could fail, keep some cash at home. To keep yourself distracted and entertained, keep board games and a pack of cards handy to play. Not all screen time is bad Using screens in a way that benefits your child’s development is key and balancing educational content and entertainment with offline activities ensures a well-rounded routine. DR GUMMER How to keep your kids off screens Outdoor activities For younger children, try scavenger hunts, garden games and nature walks. For older ones, hikes and biking trips. Create a schedule Designated screen-free times helps children develop a routine that balances screen use with other activities. Family game nights It’s an excellent way to bond and develop critical thinking skills. How to keep your kids off screens Creative hobbies Getting creative, through drawing, painting or model construction, enhances cognitive skills and offers an alternative to screens. Social interaction Arrange playdates or group activities with friends, or for older kids try an overnight camping trip in the garden. How to keep your kids off screens Lead by example Showing that you value offline time encourages your children to do the same. Have a reward Implement a reward system where screen time is earned through positive behaviour. Open conversations Discuss the importance of balancing screen time with your children so they understand the reasons behind the rules. Can following a particular diet help prevent or delay dementia? Some studies suggest so. These are the eight brain-boosting foods registered dietitian Fareeha Jay recommends people consume as part of a weekly diet… Foods that can cut dementia risk Eggs They contain several nutrients thought to support brain health, including choline, vitamin B12 and iodine. Coffee Caffeine can reduce inflammation and slow the degeneration of brain cells. Broccoli It’s packed with antioxidants and high in vitamin K, which is essentially for healthy brain cells. Fibre is overlooked in dementia prevention To increase fibre intake, include wholegrains, nuts, seeds, lentils, and legumes. Fermented foods also support brain health by improving the gut microbiome. LIFESTYLE Why you should eat fermented foods – and how to add them into your diet 4 min read Foods that can cut dementia risk Oily fish Your brain uses Omega-3s to build brain and nerve cells – so a diet rich in them may slow age-related mental decline. Walnuts These improve heart health markers, which is linked to a lower risk of neurological disorders. Blueberries They contain compounds which have been shown to improve blood flow to the brain, cognitive function, and memory. The Mind diet The diet aims to reduce dementia risk and the decline in brain health. It was created in 2015 by Dr Martha Clare Morris and colleagues at Rush University Medical Centre and the Harvard Chan School of Public Health. It encourages vegetables, berries, nuts, whole grains, olive oil, fish, beans, and poultry. These foods contain nutrients that promote good brain health by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation. The group argues the system punishes working-class communities, noting that families in ordinary, semi-detached homes in northern towns can end up paying more than owners of multimillion-pound properties in some of the country’s wealthiest postcodes. Burnham should ‘urgently bring forward legislation’ The statement calls on the next government to “urgently bring forward legislation” replacing council tax with a proportional property tax based on current property values, and to abolish stamp duty alongside it to remove barriers to moving home. “The answer is not another review,” the group says. “It is not another consultation. It is action.” The intervention comes just a day after Burnham gave his clearest signal yet that tax reform is on the table. One proposal for a proportional property tax would be 0.48 per cent on the value of a property. As an example, someone with a £500,000 house would pay £2,400 a year, but someone with a £250,000 would pay £1,200 – but both are paying the same rate. In his first broadcast interview since returning as an MP, the former mayor of Greater Manchester told LBC’s Andrew Marr he would “stick by the manifesto and the promises that it made” on income tax, VAT and national insurance – but added there was “some room within that manifesto for movement on tax”. He pointed to his existing pledge to cut business rates for pubs, music venues and independent high-street shops, funded by higher levies on warehouse operators such as Amazon and on owners of empty high-street properties, as the kind of shift available to him without breaking Labour’s core commitments. He has also previously said he supports a land value tax – where the value of the land rather than the land rather than property is taxed. Although he did not address his land tax proposal directly in his LBC interview, he did discuss it when launching his Makerfield by-election campaign last month, where he said he wanted to reform the “regressive” council tax system. Burnham has previously backed a land value tax In a previous interview, Burnham said: “I’ve long been persuaded of the argument for a land value tax. I’m personally keen to see reform of council tax. It’s a highly regressive tax. I see a big case for land and property and business taxation to be changed.” While a proportional tax is different to a land tax, the broad agreement is that council tax and stamp duty should be replaced, with many MPs hopeful the presumptive PM would be open to backing a propotional tax. Six Labour backbenchers have previously publicly backed a proportional tax: Jonathan Hinder, Patrick Hurley, Chris Webb, Ian Byrne, Jonathan Brash and Afzal Khan. Hinder, the MP for Pendle and Clitheroe, said a proportional tax would “put pounds in their pockets without costing government a penny”, calling it “an idea whose time has come”. Brash, the Hartlepool MP who chairs the Council Tax Reform All-Party Parliamentary Group, went further, branding the current system “a poverty tax that hits working people hardest” and calling the gap between struggling households and mansion-owners “a national scandal”. Khan, the Manchester Rusholme MP, said a proportional tax would leave more than 18 million households nationally better off, including over 90 per cent of those in his own constituency. Andrew Dixon, chair of the Fairer Share campaign to abolish council tax and stamp duty, said Burnham had “struck a chord”, arguing a proportional tax could unite left and right and pointing out that the UK already levies the highest property taxes in the OECD despite the regressive way the burden currently falls. Burnham has also expressed support for Fairer Share’s specific proposals, which differ slightly from a pure land value tax by taxing the value of a whole property rather than just the underlying land. Under either model, the practical effect would likely be similar: many households in lower-value areas, including much of the North and Midlands, would pay less, while owners of higher-value properties -concentrated in London and the South East – would generally pay more. Cost of stamp duty would be spread Buyers would also no longer face a large one-off stamp duty bill when purchasing a home, instead spreading the cost across an annual charge. Burnham has held the view for well over a decade that taxing land is economically preferable to taxing work or property transactions. As far back as the 2010 Labour leadership contest, he argued for a land value tax – an annual charge on the value of land itself – that could replace stamp duty, which he branded “a tax on the aspirations of young people” trying to put down roots. In the years since, he has broadened that to include council tax as well, arguing consistently that the current system is regressive because it still rests on 1991 valuations, that stamp duty discourages people from moving when their housing needs change, and that land itself remains fundamentally undertaxed. In 2021, he said: “There is a really interesting discussion about how we reform property tax. The party can’t tiptoe around it any more. Council tax is bearing too much weight.” One source familiar with Burnham’s thinking said he had long thought council tax was unfair and should eventually be abolished. Burnham has not said whether it is a policy he will try to develop when he enters Downing Street, as widely expected on July 20, but he has previously said there is “space to be more radical” within Labour’s existing manifesto. He also said he would want to look “in detail” at proposals for a so-called “wealth tax” by Wes Streeting, the former health secretary. This would potentially involve equalising rates of income tax and capital gains tax to raise taxes on those who make money from investments. close Cancel email WhatsApp link share Share bookmark Save

The story has drawn attention across the politics landscape, with experts pointing to its immediate implications for policy, markets, and public confidence.

Beyond the headline update, analysts are closely watching how institutions and local stakeholders respond over the next week as timelines, priorities, and accountability measures become clearer.

For readers, this development is part of a broader shift that has been unfolding over recent months, and the next round of announcements will likely define its long-term impact.