JewishStatusOpen the app

European Jewish News · Jul 21, 2026

European Jewish News — photo status

UK: Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s plan to scrap VAT on household electricity bills has been thrown into confusion after former chief secretary Darren Jones said the digital ID scheme being scrapped to fund the policy was “unfunded”, meaning the government had not yet found the money for the programme. Burnham announced on his first full day as prime minister that the 5% levy would be removed from 1 October, with No 10 saying the move would be paid for by scrapping Sir Keir Starmer’s digital ID scheme. At his first Cabinet meeting as prime minister, Burnham said his government would show how it is “going to pay” for its policies and told ministers they must be “prepared to make difficult decisions” as part of a “cost of living government”. Join EJN:

UK: Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s plan to scrap VAT on household electricity bills has been thrown into confusion after former chief secretary Darren Jones said the digital ID scheme being scrapped to fund the policy was “unfunded”, meaning the government had not yet found the money for the programme. Burnham announced on his first full day as prime minister that the 5% levy would be removed from 1 October, with No 10 saying the move would be paid for by scrapping Sir Keir Starmer’s digital ID scheme. At his first Cabinet meeting as prime minister, Burnham said his government would show how it is “going to pay” for its policies and told ministers they must be “prepared to make difficult decisions” as part of a “cost of living government”. Join EJN: https://wa.me/447443160130?text=Hi!%20I%20would%20like%20to%20subscribe%20to%20the%20EJN.%20My%20name%20is:%20

Watch in the app All of European Jewish News's statuses

More from European Jewish News