Council tax should be replaced with new property levy, Burnham told

Andy Burnham is “absolutely persuadable” that council tax reform can be outlined in this year’s Budget, Labour MPs believe.

MPs in Burnham’s power base in the north of England are putting pressure on the Prime Minister and Chancellor, John Healey, to overhaul a system which they say unfairly penalises working-class people in their constituencies.

It comes as a new survey revealed almost two-thirds of voters say council tax is unfair and more than half are worried about how they can afford this year’s bill.

Shorts

health

Wild swimming brings higher risk of stomach bugs and rashes

Wild swimming has been linked to a higher risk of stomach bugs and skin rashes, a study has found.

Wild swimmers in Hungary were more than twice as likely to develop skin problems and were at a higher risk of contracting a stomach bug in water with higher concentrations of E. coli and other bacteria linked to faecal pollution.

What did the study find?

• 2,368 people at two rivers and two lake-like bathing sites in Hungary were studied.
• Participants either spent 10 minutes in the water, immersing their face at least three times, or remained on the shore.
• Water was sampled throughout the trials and participants were questioned a week later.
• About 2.1 per cent of swimmers reported gastrointestinal illness, including diarrhoea, vomiting or nausea accompanied by fever, compared with 1.9 per cent of non-swimmers.
• A rash, ulcer or itching was reported by 2.7 per cent of swimmers and 1.3 per cent of non-swimmers.

What are the study’s implications?

The findings raise questions about the World Health Organisation’s decision to drop E coli as a recommended indicator of pollution in freshwater bathing sites. The body’s latest guidelines advise monitoring enterococci but not E. coli, yet the study found the latter is the only one associated with increased risk.

Exclusive

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Save Britain’s Rivers

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WORLD

What would happen if Russia attacks Europe

Molly Blackall

Global Affairs Correspondent

Tensions are soaring between Russia and the UK, with the Kremlin threatening to bomb British military bases over support for Ukraine. A US intelligence report earlier this month warned that Russia could attack a Nato country within weeks, with the window of threat spanning until 2029.

The early stages of an attack

• If Russia decides to directly attack Nato territory, it would most likely begin laying the groundwork with surveillance and reconnaissance missions, the movement of special forces into the area, or setting up a political or diplomatic scenario to justify the occupation of territory.
• One possible site for an attack is the Svalbard archipelago, a group of Norwegian islands in the High North which are undefended and already have a Russian presence for mining. 

Where else could be hit?

Another possible target for a Russian attack is the Aland islands, another undefended group of islands in the Baltic Sea which are close to Estonia, Sweden and Finland. 

There are also concerns Russia may try to seize the Swedish island of Gotland, or may decide to launch another land invasion in Eastern Europe. Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia or Poland are all possible targets.

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What happens if Russia attacks

An emergency Cobra meeting would be called and Nato members would discuss their response.

The UK would be expected to deploy troops and capabilities. European countries could be hit by cyber attacks.

Troops from across Europe could be mobilised to the site of the attack, with some still arriving weeks later.

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HEALTH

Rise in salmonella cases linked to eggs

Cases of salmonella linked to imported eggs have risen, according to the UK Health Security Agency.

Reported cases have risen from 207 to 259 in the past week. One person has also died due to an outbreak linked to imported eggs.

What should people do?

Babies, young children, pregnant women and older people should only eat thoroughly cooked eggs in restaurants. Runny eggs can be eaten by these groups if they carry the British Lion mark or are produced under the Laid in Britain scheme.

There is no evidence eggs produced in the UK are affected and risk to the public is low.

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What are the symptoms of salmonella?

• Salmonella infection typically causes diarrhoea, stomach cramps, vomiting and fever for a short period in most people.
• However, it can lead to more serious illness, including sepsis requiring hospital admission, particularly in those who are more vulnerable to infection.

3 min read

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Uefa prepares criminal complaint against Infantino – what we know

The president of Fifa, Gianni Infantino, may face legal action by European football’s governing body Uefa over his now-scrapped plans to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors.

Uefa request access to evidence

The body has applied for documents to be made available to them to bring legal actoin against Infantino in Switzerland.

In court documents Uefa accuses him of “criminal mismanagement” over the sale plan, claiming it was a “vehicle” for Infantino and others to “profit from Fifa’s most valuable assets”.

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What does Uefa say Infantino did wrong ?

• Pushed through the plan “hastily” with “limited” member involvement.
• Gave Fifa a “fraudulently off-market price” for his “own benefit”.

Analysis

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What happens now?

Uefa has applied to a court in Florida to gain access to files held by two Fifa businesses – Fifa Americas and FWC2026 . These would be used in a court case in Switzerland.

Uefa says it may persue charges against other Fifa officials, claiming the plan would have harmed the 55 member nations of Fifa, who it says were not consulted.

More on this from The i Paper

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EXCLUSIVE | What is Gianni Infantino really like behind closed doors? A Fifa whistleblower has revealed all. A former chair of Fifa’s governance committee has accused football’s governing body of “serious, systemic” problems, claiming its independent committees are “not generally independent” and questioning how power is exercised under Gianni Infantino. Special Projects Editor Rob Hastings speaks to Miguel Maduro, the former senior Fifa official brought in after the organisation’s corruption scandals, about why he believes nothing is likely to change despite the latest controversy. #Infantino #Fifa #News #WorldCup #DonaldTrump #Whistleblower

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MONEY

Exes could get rights to your assets under law change

Unmarried romantic partners could be entitled to part of their ex’s assets if a break-up leaves them unable to meet their basic needs.

Some believe the proposals being considered by the Government would tackle “completely outdated and inadequate” laws governing relationships, Sky News reported.

What is being proposed?

• Unmarried romantic partners could ask a court to get involved if distributing the couple’s assets based on who owns what is not enough to meet the needs of each partner or their children.
• The court would distribute them in a way that ensures everyone can afford housing and living costs.
• Children’s needs would come first so the primary caregiver has enough resources for them.
• The courts would look at each partner’s earning capacity, financial resources, age, any disabilities and the length of relationship.

Who would the rules apply to?

The rules would apply to adults in romantic relationships who have lived together for at least three years or who share a child and lived together for any period. They would apply automatically, with the option for couples to opt out if they mutually agree. The rules are intended to benefit financially exposed women who sacrificed their careers to care for their children or victims of domestic abuse.

3 min read

Divorce Diaries

4 min read

The expert view

Many people consciously choose not to remarry because they value both companionship and financial independence. They should remain free to make that choice, and the law should respect – not undermine – it

Baroness Ruth Deech, former law professor and chair of the Bar Standards Board

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Opinion | “There’s a new moral panic about women’s sexual preferences,” writes Kate Lister. “People have been fretting about women reading for a sexy thrill for hundreds of years. Is it not time to just allow them to enjoy a naughty book?” At the link above, Lister argues that the backlash against women reading romantasy novels is less about literature and more about who is reading it. #Booktok #RomanceNovels #Fantasy

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MONEY

The tactic that could protect your pension from inheritance tax raid – and the risks

Emily Braeger

Money Reporter

There has been an increase in people looking to use a new tactic to avoid their pension wealth being subjected to high inheritance tax after their death, experts say.

What are people doing?

Experts say more parents are asking whether they could use a lifetime annuity, which provides a guaranteed income for life, to pass on their wealth to an adult child after their passing. Here’s what you need to know.

• The move would avoid the usual high inheritance tax bill for recipients, although it is currently an option only offered by two providers and there are several risks to be aware of.
• A lifetime annuity is a retirement product, bought from an insurer, that turns your pension into a guaranteed income for life.
• A joint annuity can be used to continue paying an income to a nominated person – in this case, potentially an adult child – after, for example, a parent dies in order to avoid a high IHT bill.

What are the risks?

The annuity is generally irreversible, suitable choices are limited and the income paid to the child may itself be taxable depending on the father’s age at death. Financial adviser Zoë Dagless said the insurer is pricing the annuity on the basis that it could continue for the child’s lifetime, so you are likely to be giving up a fair amount of income compared with an annuity based on the client’s life only.

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Money Clinic

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HEALTH

Men ‘hate diets’ and struggle to lose weight on them

Men struggle to lose weight on diets because they are mainly aimed at women and seem too restrictive, research has found.

Avoiding the word “diet” in weight-loss programmes could help men because it is seen as feminine, The Times reported.

What the research found

• Framing weight-loss programmes as competitions or challenges could help men, scientists said.
• Researchers at Anglia Ruskin University found that men felt dieting was associated with being denied food they enjoyed and were reluctant to commit to programmes if significant sacrifices were involved.
• Men were more likely to lose weight when dietary changes were designed by their partners or when they were supported by them.
• Having a buddy or mentor was also beneficial.

What was the study based on?

The study, published in the journal Plos One, was based on interviews with 24 men aged 30 and over about their experiences of weight-loss programmes.

3 min read

Exclusive

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The expert view

For weight-loss programmes to appeal to men, they should involve quick wins, early rewards and a degree of social competitiveness around aesthetic gains, ahead of health-specific requirements. This could involve sport or physical challenges, perhaps focused on strength or stamina

Justin Roberts, the colead author and a professor of nutritional physiology

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Why cutting fat isn’t always healthy. It is something of a cliché that healthy eating advice can vary depending on the source. The clearest example may be recommendations about how much fat to have in your diet. For years, mainstream advice has been that we should reduce the amount of fat we eat, to aid weight control. We are supposed to especially avoid saturated fat, found mainly in animal products like red meat, eggs and dairy, as this is thought to raise cholesterol levels, which is bad for the heart. But in recent years, there has been growing support for an alternative theory, that it is more important to avoid carbohydrates, namely sugar, as well as starchy food like bread and pasta. Whether you are debating whole milk versus skimmed, or weighing up how much fat is in your diet generally, the upsides of fat sometimes get overlooked. HealthyEating, NutritionDebate, LowFat, LowCarb, SaturatedFat, DietTips, HeartHealth, Cholesterol, FoodMyths, HealthyFats, WholeMilk, SkimmedMilk, CarbsVsFat, DietConfusion, #NutritionAdvice

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While Burnham has previously said he would not be abolishing council tax “at this moment in time”, Labour MPs who support reform think there is an opportunity to set out a roadmap for replacing it with a property tax at the Budget on 28 October.

The current council tax system in England still rests on valuations from 1991, meaning in some cases families in semi-detached homes in northern towns can end up paying more than the owners of multimillion-pound properties in London and the south.

Labour backbenchers have formed a group – Labour MPs for Fairer Council Tax – aimed at convincing Burnham and Healey to replace council tax and stamp duty with an annual proportional property tax – a single flat-rate levy based on the value of a home.

Survey shows discontent with council tax

A survey carried out by JL Partners and commissioned by Fairer Share – which campaigns for such a levy – shows significant discontent with council tax, with 63 per cent viewing it as unfair, and 52 per cent worrying about affording next year’s bills.

The poll, shared with The i Paper, found that replacing council tax and stamp duty – a tax on the purchase of homes – with a proportional property tax has three times more support (47 per cent) than opposition (13 per cent).

Fairer Share claims that about three-quarters of households would be better off by an average of around £550 a year under their plan, with a quarter paying more. It has proposed capping any tax increase at £1,200.

Labour MPs back change

Afzal Khan, the Labour MP for Manchester Rusholme and a close ally of the Prime Minister, said: “Replacing council tax with a progressive property tax like the one proposed by Fairer Share would make a huge difference to the amount of money the vast majority of my constituents would have in their pockets.

“In my constituency, over 90 per cent of households would save an average of £500 every year, with only the broadest shoulders expected to pay that bit more.”

He added: “It is exactly what a government focused on the cost of living should consider.”

Jonathan Brash, the Labour MP for Hartlepool, said: “Council tax is one of the most regressive taxes in Britain. It hits hardest constituencies like mine, where people pay more despite often having less.”

Before becoming Prime Minister, Burnham was highly critical of council tax and backed reforming it.

In a previous interview, he said: “I’m personally keen to see reform of council tax. It’s a highly regressive tax. I see a big case for land and property and business taxation to be changed.”

However, after The i Paper reported last month that he was looking at replacing council tax and stamp duty, he said he was not “bringing forward plans on that scale at this moment in time”.

Some MPs and economists believe he made the statement because speculation about changes to stamp duty can end up freezing the housing market.

Current system is ‘a mess’

One Labour MP supportive of reform told The i Paper that Burnham and Healey were “absolutely persuadable”.

“They got a bit spooked when the stories appeared to start impacting the housing market. My view is they want to do it.”

A spokesperson for Fairer Share said: “Andy Burnham’s very carefully chosen words to date signal he’s certainly still open to reform.”

Many eminent economists back reform of council tax and stamp duty. Paul Johnson, former director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies and now provost of Oxford University’s Queen’s College, told The i Paper that the current system is a “mess”.

“What I think we should have is a tax which is a fixed proportion of the value of the property, and an up-to-date value of the property,” he said.

“[Council tax] is the only tax we have which is deliberately regressive. So the less valuable your house, the higher the fraction of that value you pay in tax.”

However, Johnson said that replacing council tax with a proportional property tax remained politically difficult. “In any rational world, you move in that direction,” he said. “That would make a lot of people a little bit better off, and a small number of people an awful lot worse off. And that’s always particularly challenging.”

A Treasury spokesman said: “The Chancellor is fully focused on his priorities, which will boost business, help with the cost of living and support people in every postcode.

“As has always been the case, decisions on tax are a matter for the Chancellor to set out at fiscal events, rather than routinely commenting on rumour, speculation or proposals.”

JL Partners surveyed 2,048 adults in Britain over the age of 18 at the start of August