Burnham refuses to rule out tax rises in upcoming autumn Budget

Andy Burnham has refused to dismiss potential tax increases in the upcoming Budget, stating he "won’t be unrealistic" regarding the state of public finances.Acknowledging that the UK faces a "challenging position", the Prime Minister maintained his strategy for the economy would involve a "careful approach".Speaking during his initial trip to Ukraine, Mr Burnham stood by promises to cap bus fares at £2 and lower VAT on household electricity bills as "funded commitments".However, uncertainty persists regarding how other key promises, including a £5 billion defence commitment made prior to entering No 10 alongside his plans for major reforms to the social care sector, will ultimately be paid for.Furthermore, proposals to finance the VAT cut by scrapping the former Labour administration’s dig