Patriotic millionaires ask Burnham to tax them more
One hundred and twenty wealthy Britons, organised by Patriotic Millionaires, have written an open letter to new UK prime minister Andy Burnham asking him to raise taxes on extreme wealth. Signatories including Gary Lineker and Brian Eno say they can afford a 2% levy on fortunes above £10m. The campaign urges a fairer share from asset-rich households, not from everyday workers.
Key Takeaways
- Patriotic Millionaires organised an open letter from 120 well-off Britons urging Burnham to tax extreme wealth.
- The group backs a 2% tax on wealth over £10m and says most millionaires in its poll want to pay more.
- Signatories include Gary Lineker, Brian Eno, Richard Curtis and former Greggs boss Ian Gregg.
- Burnham did not rule out a wealth tax before becoming prime minister and said he may need to “ask for a little more”.
- Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said Lineker is welcome to write a voluntary cheque to the Treasury.
Why are patriotic millionaires asking for higher taxes?
According to BBC News, the letter tells Burnham: “We can afford it.” The signatories say they are not calling for higher taxes on people who work for a wage each day, but on the richest whose income comes from the wealth they hold.
“Millionaires are a patriotic bunch,” the letter states. “We love this country and we want it to succeed. But success requires investment and a primary source of untouched capital investment is sitting with us, in untaxed potential.”
The group argues a “devolution of wealth and power from the very richest” would support a more equal society and help reinvest in every region. For more wealth and inequality coverage, see BlasterPost’s Net Worth & Wealth hub.
What tax change do they want from Andy Burnham?
Patriotic Millionaires supports a 2% tax on wealth above £10m. The renewed push follows similar campaigns in previous years and lands as Burnham takes office as prime minister.
The letter says extreme wealth should be put back to work across the country. It also claims that in the group’s own poll, a majority of millionaires wanted a higher tax on themselves.
“Those that can’t see past the end of their own self interest have no place in designing a Britain for the future,” the letter added.
How has Burnham responded to a wealth tax?
Burnham did not rule out a wealth tax when Lineker asked him about it a few days before he became prime minister. He suggested he may have “to ask for a little more” tax at some point.
People can already give money or stocks voluntarily to the Treasury through its donation facility. Badenoch seized on that point, saying Lineker is “very welcome to pay more tax he can write a cheque to the treasury, no one is stopping him.”
Whether Burnham turns the patriotic millionaires’ plea into policy remains the central political test. The letter frames wealth tax as investment, not punishment—and puts the new prime minister under early pressure from an unusual lobby: the rich asking to be taxed more.