1 hour ago
4 
Do you agree with our readers? Have your say on these MetroTalk topics and more in the comments
When did we all get so cynical?
The ink was barely dry on Andy Burnham’s proposal for a £2 bus fare cap when the usual chorus of groans began.
Almost instantly, the public conversation shifted away from the relief this policy would bring and, instead, we were treated to the predictable demand – ‘How are we going to fund it?’
I am profoundly fed up with this immediate descent into cynicism.
Chief among the jargon deployed by the commentariat is the dreaded fiscal ‘black hole’. We are told, with absolute certainty, that the nation’s finances are just like a household’s – that if we don’t have the tax receipts in hand, we cannot build, invest or progress.
This short-sighted bickering over imaginary ledgers is exactly why we suffer from a dizzying, high turnover of prime ministers. We paralyse our leaders the moment they try to think big, punishing them for daring to prioritise the public good.
For too long, we have been forced to believe the fallacy that a country with its own sovereign currency cannot simply print money to fund vital developmental and social projects.
Proponents of modern monetary theory (MMT) argue what common sense dictates – a government issuing its own currency cannot ‘run out of money’ the way a private household does.
The true constraint on our economy isn’t a lack of numbers on a spreadsheet, it is a lack of real resources, workers and materials. When we fund public transport, we aren’t throwing money into a void. We are unlocking those real resources –allowing people to get to work, boosting local businesses, cleaning up our air and reducing the strain on our healthcare.
Every pound kept in a commuter’s pocket is a pound spent on the high street. Affordable transit is an investment that multiplies in value, yet we treat it like a luxury we can barely afford.
If we continue to let arbitrary fiscal rules and spreadsheet ‘black holes’ dictate our national ambition, we will remain stuck in a cycle of stagnation and political chaos. We must start backing policies that serve the people and understand that a wealthy nation’s primary duty is to invest in its future. Dr. Cosmas Odoemena, London
‘It’s going to be a long haul to resolve matters’ reader says
Celebrity pub owner Tom Kerridge’s lukewarm reaction to Andy Burnham’s business rate cut for pubs, clubs and music venues (Metro paper, Fri) is typical of those who think the government can just make sweeping changes and magically please everyone immediately.
As was declared when Labour was elected, it’s going to be a long haul to resolve matters. Anyone believing otherwise is deluded and anyone believing someone telling them they can change things in a heartbeat is even more so. Ian Osborne, via email
Is Burnham a ‘Tory in disguise’?
Questions have been raised concerning how the new PM intends to finance some of the reforms he has promised. Prior to his appointment, Burnham indicated that he would stick to Labour’s 2024 election manifesto.
One of those pledges was to clamp down on illegal tax avoidance and abolish non-dom status, closing tax loopholes. This would help cover the cost of Burnham’s reforms.
The real question is will the PM fulfil this inclusion in the manifesto or, like Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and Sir Keir Starmer, prove to be a Tory in disguise and allow the wealthy to continue to abuse the tax system while the majority of the country struggle to make ends meet? Martin J Phillips, Leeds
Got a question about UK politics?
Send in yours and Metro's Senior Politics Reporter Craig Munro will answer it in an upcoming edition of our weekly politics newsletter. Email [email protected] or submit your question here.
Will removing VAT from energy bills make a difference?
I never cease to be amazed at how short people’s memories are.
In 2013, David Cameron rolled back green levies on energy bills – and our bills hardly blinked. Now we have VAT removed from electricity bills and, while it will be more effective than Cameron’s efforts, it will not amount to much in all reality – and with rates cuts on pubs etc, the money the Treasury loses must come from somewhere! Robert Boston, Kent
Is an economic plan viable without mention of Europe?
In his first days as PM, Andy Burnham has made a flurry of announcements… yet nothing on Europe.
During the 2024 election, Brexit was the elephant in the room and dodged by all major parties. Starmer’s government took an age to touch the issue.
Burnham has hit the ground running. But no economic fix is possible while our biggest trade barrier is ignored. Time to open the No.10 windows, clear out the whiff of elephant and get some fresh European air in. Peter Packham, Chair, Leeds For Europe
Do you agree with our readers? Have your say on these MetroTalk topics and more in the comments
Bengali (Bangladesh) · 
English (United States) ·