Prime Minister Andy Burnham to Chair Growth Situation Room Meeting

Prime Minister Andy Burnham will be working from No 10 North in Manchester today. He is set to lead a crucial meeting dubbed the “growth situation room” alongside key government officials including Chancellor John Healey, First Secretary of State Lou Haigh, Housing Secretary Angela Rayner, and Housing Minister Sally Jameson. Regional mayors and Exchequer Secretary Dan Tomlinson will also be participating remotely.

The meeting follows a revelation of a £1.8bn deficit in July, which was larger than anticipated. Despite a significant increase in self-assessment tax payments, government spending outpaced receipts, resulting in the deficit. The cumulative deficit for the current financial year is £56.7bn, exceeding the Office for Budget Responsibility forecast by £2.3bn.

While Burnham is not expected to address the media post-meeting, there are anticipated announcements. Notable developments include:

• Burnham declaring a crackdown on waste crimes, specifically targeting fly-tippers.
• Equalities Minister expressing concerns over the normalization of racism and sexism in Britain.
• Suggestions by Education Secretary Lucy Powell to address the GCSE gender gap.
• Reports on funding for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s security arrangements upon their return to the UK.