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Andy Burnham is preparing to enter Downing Street, but he will inherit a government facing tight fiscal constraints and a series of difficult decisions.
The public finances remain under pressure, debt interest spending is high, and commitments not to raise the main rates of income tax, National Insurance or VAT limit some of the most obvious ways of raising revenue. At the same time, the new Prime Minister will need to make choices about departmental spending, defence, welfare, social care and the cost of living.
How much flexibility will Burnham have over taxes, borrowing and public spending? Which commitments could be maintained, and which might need to be scaled back? And will a change of Prime Minister create space for a different economic strategy - or reveal the same underlying constraints?
Christine Farquharson is joined by IFS researchers Max Warner and Tom Waters to examine the economic choices facing the incoming Prime Minister.
Host
Christine Farquharson
Christine's research examines inequalities in children's education and health, especially in the early education and childcare sector.
Participants
Max Warner
Max joined the IFS in 2020. His work covers health and social care, public spending and public sector productivity.
Tom Waters
Tom is an Associate Director at the IFS and Head of the Income, Work and Welfare sector.
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