Business rates plan is questioned

ANDY Burnham's plans to overhaul business rates to support small high street firms in the UK could cost around £880 million a year, according to fresh analysis.

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The front-runner to become the UK’s next Prime Minister, in the wake of Sir Keir Starmer’s resignation, has indicated that he plans to cover the cost through higher property taxes for large warehouses, particularly targeting big online firms such as Amazon.

Mr Burnham (pictured below in Liverpool on Saturday), said on LBC last week that there is “room for movement on tax” within Labour's manifesto whilst maintaining his commitment to the party's fiscal rules, stressing his ambition to support the high street. He has repeated proposals, first outlined during the Makerfield by-election campaign, for a 50% increase in the threshold for 100% small business rates relief in England.