Gary Lineker and 120 millionaires urge new UK PM Andy Burnham to tax their wealth

In a letter to Andy Burnham — organised by the Patriotic Millionaires group — they say: "As millionaires we have a clear message for you, our new Prime Minister: tax us"

Gary Lineker has joined more than 100 UK-based millionaires calling on new Prime Minister Andy Burnham to tax their wealth.

In a letter to the Labour leader — organised by the Patriotic Millionaires group — they say:

"As millionaires we have a clear message for you, our new Prime Minister: tax us. We are proud to pay and here to stay. We're not talking about higher taxes on those who get up and go to work for their income every day, but on the very richest whose income is derived from the wealth they hold."

Signatories include:

• Former England striker Gary Lineker
• Ian Gregg, former chairman of Greggs
• Film director Richard Curtis (Love Actually, Notting Hill)
• Scottish author Val McDermid
• Former City trader and economist Gary Stevenson
• Climate expert and author Michael Berners-Lee

Former Match of the Day presenter Lineker, who added his name to the letter of 120 millionaires, said:

"Our fantastic country deserves all of us to get behind it. I'm proud to stand with people across the UK who want to live in a more equal society."

He added:

"Paying your fair share is a basic British value, but so many ordinary people are already paying more than they can afford. Our richest people can do more and most want to. To live up to our national values our new government must raise taxes on extreme levels of wealth for a fairer, better, more hopeful Britain."

Potential revenue from a wealth tax

There are various forms of wealth taxes, but Patriotic Millionaires claim a 2% tax on the assets of the super-rich over £10 million could raise £24 billion for the Treasury.

Just a tiny proportion of the population would be affected — fewer than 0.04%, or around 20,000 people, according to Tax Justice UK.

Previous research for The Mirror has also found a wealth tax on the 350 wealthiest families alone — including 156 billionaires — could raise £15 billion.

What the revenue could fund

A tax on wealth could cover:

• Over a third of the total core schools budget in England, which stood at around £65 billion in 2025–2026
• An extension of free school meals to all school-aged children in England — costing £2 billion per year (Child Poverty Action Group, 2023)
• Ending the housing benefit freeze — £1.5 billion annually
• Plugging the entire funding gap in defence spending of £4.7 billion, while helping the UK reach 3% of GDP spending by 2029–30 — costing between £13 billion and £17 billion per year

Burnham's response

Before entering No10 earlier this week, Mr Burnham did not rule out a wealth tax in an interview with Lineker. The new Labour leader said:

"I'm not going to rule things out right now. I do believe we need a greater sense of fairness and people feeling that things are being done in the right way and a fair way."

Read more:

• Andy Burnham vows to 'end rough sleeping in our country' in first instruction as Prime Minister
• Hope for income tax cut for lower earners as Burnham prepares cost of living blitz
• Wealth tax on richest 350 could raise £15 billion and reverse Tory-era welfare cuts