Burnham Funds Electricity VAT Cut by Scrapping UK Digital ID Programme

One week into his premiership, Andy Burnham announced a VAT cut on household electricity bills — roughly £45 per year on average — funded by scrapping the UK's digital ID programme. Advocates of the digital ID system said it could have saved the government tens of billions long-term by making public services more efficient. The move prioritises immediate household relief over structural modernisation.