Burnham’s Budget balancing act

Andy Burnham’s chancellor John Healey delivered his maiden budget on Wednesday. With ballooning debt, poor growth and rising inflation, the mantra was very much ‘steady as we go’ – with only modest announcements on tax and spending. Households have been helped with energy costs while banks, landlords and savers have been hit. Healey insisted he was doing his best to help, but was it enough to secure long-term economic health and security for the UK? Host Lucy Fisher discusses these questions and lots more from FT subscribers with UK political editor George Parker, markets columnist Katie Martin and economics editor Sam Fleming.

This is a recording of an FT Live subscribers’ webinar.

Follow Lucy @lucyfisher.ft.com & @LOS_Fisher; George @georgewparker.bsky.social & @GeorgeWParker and Sam @Sam1Fleming

Want more?

John Healey hits banks and savers to fund modest Budget handout

UK Budget 2026: Healey defends Budget as economic warnings grow

Budget in brief: what you need to know

Healey fiddles while the UK stagnates

Property tax rise will push more landlords to sell, Healey warned

Britain’s Budget buys time but ducks the hard choices

Our email address is political[email protected]

Presented by Lucy Fisher. Produced by Clare Williamson. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Audio mix and original music by Breen Turner. The broadcast engineers are Colleen Velle and Petros Gioumpasis. The FT’s head of audio is Flo Phillips.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.