Dear Editor,
Very small tax cuts, £2 bus fares, £20 a week off pubs' business rates, etc: yes, Andy Burnham's opening displays show good gesture politics, but not necessarily a good grasp of the bigger picture.
Changes to VAT were temporary and only affected electricity.
Cuts to bus fares would not help regular commuters.
The changes to business rates ignored cafés, restaurants, and other places essential to community life, though non-alcoholic.
Behind it, there was something more sinister.
Burnham and the new chancellor committed themselves to upholding so-called fiscal rules, the voluntary restraints 'bank-cloned' governments use to limit spending and appease super-rich Tories and billionaire far-right Reform.
So, beyond gesturing, Prime Minister Burnham has immediate real accountancy 'change' to make.
There were no changes to social security, with carer's allowance and bedroom tax problems still there and the penal regime within Universal Credit maintained.
Pat McFadden continues as work and pensions secretary with his seemingly pathological dislike of those making benefit claims, especially for disability.
Shabana Mahmood carries on as home secretary, with Lisa Nandy continuing Labour's attack on a UK free media.
Also, it appears Burnham is going for further exploitation of North Sea oil and gas, abandoning his green credentials, plus letting Trump use US air force bases in the UK for non-existent 'defensive' Iran war measures.
Odd how his devolution stops further independence referendums and does not mention electoral and constitutional, or Lords, reform.
Nor do the enormous wasted billions of Trident submarine delivery of Armageddon-laden nuclear bombs and their ultra-expensive and dangerous nuclear power twins get dumped.
Plus, not even a hint that the Burnham government will reduce borrowing costs by Bank of England control and cutting interest paid on central bank reserve accounts, thereby rendering austerity unnecessary.
Lastly, the economic consequences of Trump's illegal Iran war, so far, have had no really hostile UK response and no detailed plan about how hostilities end.
Burnham is now in charge of the UK’s macroeconomy, not any mayoral-controlled regional microeconomy.
There is little sign as yet, like most politicians and journalists, that he understands how to make big system changes to government accountancy (which bears no relationship to household budgets) to transform it from super-rich to working-class domination.
Richard Murphy, ex-top university professor and well-known broadcaster, is the best mentor to take on board.
'Accountancy' not welfare change,
Alan Debenham
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