![Burnham Backtracks on Proposals to Raise Personal Tax Allowance</TITLE]Andy Burnham has distanced himself from previous remarks regarding an increase to the tax-free personal allowance.The current £12,570 threshold has remained frozen since 2021, effectively pulling more taxpayers into the system as wages rise.Speaking to the Times over the weekend, Burnham noted that the “frustration about the personal allowance” expressed by constituents during the Makerfield by-election campaign had remained “lodged in my mind.”On Monday, the Prime Minister informed reporters that the matter would be reviewed during the upcoming budget, though he acknowledged that any adjustments would be costly and “difficult given the financial circumstances in which we find ourselves.”Sources close to Burnham have since clarified to BBC News that adjusting the personal allowance was not a core component of his initial cost-of-living strategy.This clarification follows comments made during Burnham’s first cabinet meeting, where he emphasized the need for “fiscal discipline” and a commitment to upholding fiscal rules, even if it requires “difficult decisions.”Burnham remains committed to the 2024 Labour manifesto, which pledges not to raise the basic, higher, or additional income tax rates. This commitment effectively precludes raising the top tax rate for high earners to fund a higher personal allowance.The Institute for Fiscal Studies estimates that unfreezing the current threshold could result in an annual cost of between £8.5bn and £9bn.Burnham remarked on Monday that his earlier comments were intended to demonstrate “visibility of the issue and the impact it’s had.”While he reiterated that the issue would be “looked at” in the Budget, he concluded: “Obviously it’s difficult, given the financial circumstances in which we find ourselves.”](https://i2.wp.com/ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/branded_news/1200/cpsprodpb/c0f0/live/aef0e940-855e-11f1-bee8-53ce494e1abc.jpg?w=1024&resize=1024,1024&ssl=1 "Burnham Backtracks on Proposals to Raise Personal Tax Allowance</TITLE]Andy Burnham has distanced himself from previous remarks regarding an increase to the tax-free personal allowance.The current £12,570 threshold has remained frozen since 2021, effectively pulling more taxpayers into the system as wages rise.Speaking to the Times over the weekend, Burnham noted that the “frustration about the personal allowance” expressed by constituents during the Makerfield by-election campaign had remained “lodged in my mind.”On Monday, the Prime Minister informed reporters that the matter would be reviewed during the upcoming budget, though he acknowledged that any adjustments would be costly and “difficult given the financial circumstances in which we find ourselves.”Sources close to Burnham have since clarified to BBC News that adjusting the personal allowance was not a core component of his initial cost-of-living strategy.This clarification follows comments made during Burnham’s first cabinet meeting, where he emphasized the need for “fiscal discipline” and a commitment to upholding fiscal rules, even if it requires “difficult decisions.”Burnham remains committed to the 2024 Labour manifesto, which pledges not to raise the basic, higher, or additional income tax rates. This commitment effectively precludes raising the top tax rate for high earners to fund a higher personal allowance.The Institute for Fiscal Studies estimates that unfreezing the current threshold could result in an annual cost of between £8.5bn and £9bn.Burnham remarked on Monday that his earlier comments were intended to demonstrate “visibility of the issue and the impact it’s had.”While he reiterated that the issue would be “looked at” in the Budget, he concluded: “Obviously it’s difficult, given the financial circumstances in which we find ourselves.”")
Global hunger fell for the third year in a row in 2025, yet Africa has become the focal point of the worldwide food crisis, now bearing the greatest number of undernourished individuals worldwide, according to a new United Nations report.
The 2026 edition of the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI), issued on Tuesday by five United Nations agencies, showed that global hunger fell to 7.8 % of the world’s population in 2025, down from 8.1 % in 2024. Meanwhile, Africa now hosts roughly 309 million hungry people, outpacing Asia’s 292 million.
The report presents a stark picture of the continent, indicating that one in five Africans suffered from hunger in 2025, and that more than half of the population endured moderate or severe food insecurity.
Although the total number of undernourished people decreased by nearly 14 million from 2024 and by 43 million since 2022, the United Nations cautioned that progress is fragile and far too sluggish to meet the Sustainable Development Goal of ending hunger by 2030.
Produced jointly by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), UNICEF, the World Food Programme (WFP) and the World Health Organization (WHO), the report estimates that approximately 645 million people worldwide went hungry in 2025.
The agencies stressed that access to nutritious food continues to be a major global challenge.
An estimated 2.1 billion people experienced moderate or severe food insecurity in 2025, and nearly 2.7 billion — almost one‑third of the world’s population — could not afford a healthy diet. In Africa, the challenge is even more acute, with 66.6 % of the population unable to afford nutritious food.
The report also warned that global indicators for child and maternal nutrition remain off track.
Approximately 150 million children under five remain stunted, and only 30.8 % of children aged six to 23 months receive a minimally diverse diet. Anaemia among women of reproductive age is worsening, and adult obesity has risen steadily from 12.1 % in 2012 to 16.2 % in 2024.
The agencies warned that conflict in the Middle East, extreme weather events, dwindling humanitarian funding and reduced official development assistance could undermine recent gains, leaving between 510 million and 520 million people hungry by 2030.
FAO Director‑General Qu Dongyu remarked that progress is possible but that the world must accelerate its efforts.
The report demonstrates that progress is possible, yet faster action is required; ending hunger and making healthy diets affordable will demand political commitment, sustained investment and supportive policies.
WHO Director‑General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that, although hunger is decreasing, healthy diets remain unaffordable for millions.
He noted that a healthy diet is still unaffordable for one in three people globally, while obesity continues to rise and progress on maternal and child nutrition has stalled.
He emphasized that policies — such as making healthy foods the easy choice, promoting breastfeeding, implementing front‑of‑pack labelling, taxing unhealthy products, and protecting children from harmful marketing — show that healthy diets are not a luxury but a fundamental right that must be within everyone’s reach.
UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said the findings highlight that millions of children continue to suffer because food systems are failing vulnerable families.
She stressed that nutrition, healthcare, education and social protection must be combined to protect children and women from mounting global shocks.
The report urged greater investment in food systems, including improved infrastructure, irrigation, cold‑chain facilities, research, trade reforms, and policies that lower the cost of nutritious foods while strengthening resilience to climate change and economic shocks.
The report demonstrates that progress is possible, yet faster action is required; ending hunger and making healthy diets affordable will demand political commitment, sustained investment and supportive policies.
WHO Director‑General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that, although hunger is declining, healthy diets remain unaffordable for millions.
He noted that a healthy diet is still unaffordable for one in three people globally, while obesity continues to rise and progress on maternal and child nutrition has stalled.
He emphasized that policies — such as making healthy foods the easy choice, promoting breastfeeding, implementing front‑of‑pack labelling, taxing unhealthy products, and protecting children from harmful marketing — show that healthy diets are not a luxury but a fundamental right that must be within everyone’s reach.
UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said the findings highlight that millions of children continue to suffer because food systems are failing vulnerable families.
She stressed that nutrition, healthcare, education and social protection must be combined to protect children and women from mounting global shocks.
The report urged greater investment in food systems, including improved infrastructure, irrigation, cold‑chain facilities, research, trade reforms, and policies that lower the cost of nutritious foods while strengthening resilience to climate change and economic shocks.
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- Burnham Backtracks on Proposals to Raise Personal Tax Allowance</TITLE]Andy Burnham has distanced himself from previous remarks regarding an increase to the tax-free personal allowance.The current £12,570 threshold has remained frozen since 2021, effectively pulling more taxpayers into the system as wages rise.Speaking to the Times over the weekend, Burnham noted that the “frustration about the personal allowance” expressed by constituents during the Makerfield by-election campaign had remained “lodged in my mind.”On Monday, the Prime Minister informed reporters that the matter would be reviewed during the upcoming budget, though he acknowledged that any adjustments would be costly and “difficult given the financial circumstances in which we find ourselves.”Sources close to Burnham have since clarified to BBC News that adjusting the personal allowance was not a core component of his initial cost-of-living strategy.This clarification follows comments made during Burnham’s first cabinet meeting, where he emphasized the need for “fiscal discipline” and a commitment to upholding fiscal rules, even if it requires “difficult decisions.”Burnham remains committed to the 2024 Labour manifesto, which pledges not to raise the basic, higher, or additional income tax rates. This commitment effectively precludes raising the top tax rate for high earners to fund a higher personal allowance.The Institute for Fiscal Studies estimates that unfreezing the current threshold could result in an annual cost of between £8.5bn and £9bn.Burnham remarked on Monday that his earlier comments were intended to demonstrate “visibility of the issue and the impact it’s had.”While he reiterated that the issue would be “looked at” in the Budget, he concluded: “Obviously it’s difficult, given the financial circumstances in which we find ourselves.”
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