ANDY BURNHAM RULES OUT GENERAL ELECTION FOR 12 MONTHS

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has ruled out calling a general election in the next 12 months following the government’s first Budget. Burnham told reporters: “I’m not thinking about my own party and its prospects.” He said he was “putting Britain on a different path”. Chancellor John Healey presented tax and spending measures aimed at supporting households with living costs. Burnham’s statement followed questions about whether he might seek an early vote.

The Budget raises the surcharge on bank profits above £100m from 3% to 6% and increases duty on betting machine games from 20% to 25%. It freezes fuel duty and provides for a 3.9% rise in the minimum wage next April. Households in council tax bands A to D will receive £100 off their energy bills, and the measures scrap gas standing charges. Healey committed to defence spending reaching 3% of gross domestic product by 2030 and announced an extra £10bn for Ukraine. He also set out plans to cut £800m in business red tape.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage called the package a “retail Budget aimed at an early general election”. Speaking in Westminster, Farage said it “attempts to please a very large number of people”. He described Healey’s delivery as “assured” and said it was “in a different league to the two efforts by Rachel Reeves”. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said the Budget was not “good enough”. She accused Labour of overseeing record taxes and an “out-of-control welfare system”.