Unite Union Demands Wealth Tax in Burnham's First Budget

General Secretary of the Unite union Sharon Graham called on Prime Minister Andy Burnham to use his first Budget as a turning point for the British working class. Graham argued that workers have disproportionately borne the cost of successive economic crises and demanded immediate action to address the cost-of-living crisis.

Specific demands include ending the income tax threshold freeze and implementing a cap on energy company profits. To drive long-term growth, Graham proposed increasing public investment by 1% of GDP, roughly £28 billion annually, and using the National Wealth Fund to draw pension fund investments into domestic industry.

Graham warned that the government must shift the financial burden away from workers and toward profiteering corporations and the wealthiest one percent. She stated that this shift is necessary to avoid the failures of previous austerity-driven policies.