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There are bus fares to pay for, a rates cut for the pubs, and of course extra shelters for the homeless. In the few days since he became prime minister, Andy Burnham has announced a whole series of small increases in spending, while saying very little about how he is going to pay for them.
But is Gary Lineker riding to the rescue? Today the football pundit has offered to help out with a demand that he pays higher taxes. But here’s the catch: there is already nothing to stop Lineker paying more tax – he just doesn’t seem very keen to actually write out the cheque.
Lineker was one of 120 ‘patriotic millionaires’, including the musician Brian Eno and the romcom writer Richard Curtis, who have written an open letter asking for some form of wealth tax. According to the letter, the super-rich are more than happy to contribute more to the government. It would, they believe, lead to better public services, as well as creating a more equal society.
The campaign from these ‘patriotic millionaires’ is the worst kind of celebrity virtue signalling
