Prime Minister Andy Burnham is working from No 10 North in Manchester today, where he is chairing a meeting referred to by some in government as the “growth situation room”. He is joined by Chancellor John Healey, First Secretary of State Lou Haigh, Housing Secretary Angela Rayner, and Housing Minister Sally Jameson. Regional mayors and Exchequer Secretary Dan Tomlinson are expected to participate remotely.
This meeting takes place after the government reported a £1.8bn deficit in July, which was larger than city economists had anticipated. The Office for National Statistics stated that government spending growth outpaced receipts, despite self-assessment tax payments in July being £1.7bn higher than the previous year.
Separately, Prime Minister Burnham stated yesterday that individuals who illegally dump waste will be required to pay for the clean-up. This announcement was made during a visit to an illegal dump in West Yorkshire as part of plans to address waste crimes.