Andy Burnham at odds with Labor leader Keir Starmer over Tory income tax cuts

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has contradicted Labor's position on income tax cuts, saying the 1p cut of the base rate should not take place

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burham shares his thoughts on the leadership race (

Image: PA)

Andy Burnham has called for the Tory plans to cut income tax to be scrapped as he has gone out of his way with the Labor leadership.

Keir Starmer has said Labor will roll back the Tory's £10,000-a-year tax cut for Britain's 660,000 top earners if they win the next election.

Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng announced in his mini-budget on Friday plans to scrap the top tax rate of 45p on earnings over £150,000 a year, which would rob the Treasury of £2billion per year.

He has also pledged to cut the basic rate of income tax from 20p to 19p in April - a move Labor would stick to if Mr Starmer enters Downing Street.

But Mr Burnham directly contradicted the position of the Labor leadership, saying the 1p cut should not take place.

Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham

The Mayor of Greater Manchester has also suggested that funds earmarked for tax cuts should be reallocated to a pay deal for nurses, as he called the Chancellor's mini-budget an "act of blatant vandalism".< /p>

He told Sky's Sophy Ridge on Sunday, "That's my position, I don't think it was time for tax cuts.

"I think it's time to help people through a crisis."

Speaking to GB News, he warned of a 'mental health crisis' in the winter and said it would be his 'priority' to use funds earmarked for tax cuts to help ease the pressure.