Burnham vows to cut price of pint as he breaks with Labour tax rises

Andy Burnham, the Greater Manchester mayor, has launched a major policy intervention in the Makerfield by-election campaign, vowing to cut business rates for pubs and ease the tax burden on small businesses. The pledge marks a clear break with Keir Starmer’s government, with Burnham declaring that Labour had “got it wrong” on small businesses. His intervention, which the mayor said would cut the price of a pint, is aimed at winning over voters in a constituency where the Reform UK party has been mounting a strong challenge. But latest polling shows Burnham pulling away from the rightwing populists, his main challengers, suggesting his strategy may be paying off. The by-election, which has become a test of Labour’s direction under Starmer, now sees Burnham positioning himself as a champion of small businesses and pub landlords. “Labour got it wrong,” Burnham said, as he unveiled plans to reduce the financial burden on pubs and other small enterprises. The move is a direct rebuke to the government’s tax policies, which have faced criticism from within the party. With the polls tightening, Burnham’s break with his own leadership could prove decisive in the Makerfield contest.