Burnham to combine autumn budget with spending review

Andy Burnham, the presumptive next prime minister of the United Kingdom, is considering a major overhaul of the government's fiscal calendar by combining an autumn budget with a comprehensive departmental spending review. The move, which officials are exploring following preliminary talks with Burnham's team, would aim to set his government's economic priorities through to the next general election, which must be called by August 2029.

Burnham is set to become prime minister on July 20, succeeding Keir Starmer. Treasury sources indicate the combined fiscal event could take place as early as October, requiring the incoming chancellor and chief secretary to negotiate departmental budget settlements for the 2029-30 financial year within the next three months. This accelerated timeline would force Burnham to adjudicate between competing ministerial demands at a time when existing public spending settlements are already described as extremely tight.

The proposal would mark a significant shift from the current practice of holding the budget and spending review separately. Chancellor Rachel Reeves established a one-year departmental settlement in her first budget in 2024 before...