{"text":[[{"start":7.6,"text":"Andy Burnham has committed to upholding “rock solid” UK public finances if he becomes prime minister, saying that he was “frustrated” by claims that he would let borrowing rip."}],[{"start":17.9,"text":"Burnham also vowed to uphold Labour’s election manifesto promise not to put up big personal taxes, as well as the pledge not to increase the main rate of corporation tax."}],[{"start":28.65,"text":"In his first broadcast interview since returning to Westminster as MP for Makerfield last month, Burnham said on Thursday evening: “I get frustrated by the narrative some people try to make about me.”"}],[{"start":41.099999999999994,"text":"Seeking to reassure the City of London that he will run a tight ship, he told LBC’s Andrew Marr: “Overall people can be certain of one thing of me: I am not indisciplined on the public finances.”"}],[{"start":54.3,"text":"Last year Burnham rattled some City investors when he said Britain should not be “in hock” to the bond markets, but he has since committed to upholding the government’s fiscal rules."}],[{"start":64.3,"text":"He told LBC that he had previously been a Treasury minister in Gordon Brown’s government and had run the Department of Health, so he had experience of managing budgets."}],[{"start":74.64999999999999,"text":"Burnham insisted he had built a successful economy as mayor of Greater Manchester based on solid financial footings. “The finances I ran in Greater Manchester were rock solid,” he said."}],[{"start":87.24999999999999,"text":"Assuming that no last-minute candidate emerges to challenge Burnham for the Labour leadership, he will succeed Sir Keir Starmer as prime minister on July 20."}],[{"start":97.19999999999999,"text":"Alongside his promise to keep borrowing under control, Burnham appeared to box himself in further by insisting that he would uphold Labour’s 2024 tax promises. “I stick by the manifesto and the promises it made,” he said."}],[{"start":111.49999999999999,"text":"The manifesto included a promise not to increase the rates of income tax, employee national insurance and value added tax, as well as the main rate of corporation tax."}],[{"start":120.89999999999999,"text":"However Burnham said there was “some room within that manifesto for movement on tax”, adding “there is a case for higher business rates on warehouses and the major developments we see on the outskirts of our cities, so that we can cut business rates for pubs”."}],[{"start":136.39999999999998,"text":"He said: “I’ve proposed a 20 per cent cut and to lift some high street businesses out of business rates altogether.”"}],[{"start":144.45,"text":"Burnham’s room for manoeuvre has also been restricted by Starmer’s revelation that a new defence investment plan is not fully funded and will require billions of pounds of additional cash in the future."}],[{"start":156.35,"text":"The Makerfield MP said he “didn’t have all of the details” of what Starmer was proposing but said he would fund the programme in full. “I won’t compromise the security of the nation.”"}],[{"start":165.95,"text":"Burnham has his own spending proposals, including a promise of more council houses and “more public control over water, energy, transport” to reduce bills and fares."}],[{"start":176.1,"text":"He said savings would be found in the welfare budget, but suggested that could take time: he talked about reforming vocational training, providing job guarantees for young people and free bus travel for 16 to 18-year-olds to help them get to work."}],[{"start":190.9,"text":"Burnham said he had not decided who would be his chancellor, adding that he wanted to set “policy and direction” before choosing the cabinet personnel who would deliver that agenda."}],[{"start":200.45000000000002,"text":"He said he would spend some of his time at a new Number 10 North, which he revealed would be based at a proposed new digital campus near Manchester’s Piccadilly station."}],[{"start":211.00000000000003,"text":"Asked whether he would endorse a bank holiday if England won the World Cup on July 19, he said: “It might be a bit premature to start speculating.”"}],[{"start":227.25000000000003,"text":""}]],"url":"https://audio.ftcn.net.cn/album/a_1783066597_6713.mp3"}