Over 120 UK millionaires including Gary Lineker and Brian Eno urge Prime Minister Andy Burnham to raise taxes on the wealthy
A group of more than 120 UK millionaires, including former footballer Gary Lineker, musician Brian Eno, and filmmaker Richard Curtis, wrote an open letter on July 23 urging UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham to introduce a wealth tax and higher levies on the rich to fund public services; the Patriotic Millionaires UK group said wealth and power have been concentrated in too few hands for too long; separately, Burnham is facing a first major test over whether to allow North Sea oil drilling amid pressure from the US
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Summary
More than 120 UK millionaires signed an open letter on July 23 addressed to Prime Minister Andy Burnham, urging the new Labour government to raise taxes on the wealthy to fund public services and reduce inequality. The most prominent signatories are former England footballer and broadcaster Gary Lineker, musician and artist Brian Eno, and filmmaker Richard Curtis. The group, affiliated with the Patriotic Millionaires UK chapter, argued that "wealth and power have been concentrated in a small group for too long" and that they can afford to pay more in tax. The letter is addressed to the prime minister directly and comes early in Burnham's premiership, when his government is still setting its fiscal agenda. Separately, Burnham is facing a first major political test on energy: reports suggest the new prime minister may allow drilling to resume in a North Sea oilfield, a prospect that has drawn enthusiasm from US President Donald Trump but divided communities in the north of Scotland. Al Jazeera described the North Sea decision as emerging as "British PM Burnham's big test."
The split
UK domestic outlets (PoliticsUK, IBTimes UK) covered the wealth tax letter as a political-left pressure campaign on the new PM, naming the celebrity signatories and framing it as a direct challenge to Burnham's fiscal agenda. Al Jazeera covered both the wealth tax letter and the North Sea oilfield question, giving both items international distribution and framing them together as early signals of what kind of PM Burnham will be. No statement from Burnham's office or HM Treasury responding to the letter was reported in the feed as of July 23.
By the numbers
- 120+, the number of millionaires who signed the open letter to PM Burnham
- 3, the most prominent signatories named: Gary Lineker, Brian Eno, Richard Curtis
Why it matters
A voluntary wealth-tax call from more than 120 high-profile signatories is political pressure, not policy, but it creates a visible moment for Burnham to either align with a redistributive agenda or decline. The Patriotic Millionaires group has staged similar campaigns in the US and France; UK chapters have grown since the 2025 UK election. Burnham came to power on a centre-left platform; the letter tests whether he will translate that into concrete wealth-tax legislation early in his term. The North Sea oilfield question adds an energy and environment dimension: Burnham's answer will define his government's relationship with both the fossil-fuel industry and the climate lobby.
What to watch
- Whether Burnham's government responds to the letter publicly, and whether it signals wealth-tax legislation in the autumn budget
- The decision on North Sea drilling and whether the UK government announces a formal review or approval
- Whether the Patriotic Millionaires UK letter attracts more signatories or generates domestic political debate in Parliament