Burnham rules out scrapping stamp duty but insists government looking at ways to 'make taxation fairer'
Andy Burnham has ruled out scrapping stamp duty after reports previously suggested he would banish the tax.
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The Prime Minister said the government are looking at ways to "make taxation fairer" to ease the burden on the UK and help tackle the cost of living.
But asked if he will change or scrap stamp duty in the next budget, Mr Burnham said: "That won't be happening.
"I don't know actually where some of the stories that have appeared over the last 24 hours have come from.
Read more: Andy Burnham to set up 'Health and Social Care North' in Leeds
"It seems that somebody within, I don’t know, 100 yards of me can say something, and then all of a sudden it’s my policy.
"Or someone can pass me something, and then I support everything within the document.
"It's just not the case that we are bringing forward plans on that scale at this moment in time."
Stamp duty is a tax paid by homeowners on properties or land worth more than £125,000, or £300,000 for first time buyers, in England and Northern Ireland.
Mr Burnham did however suggest over the weekend that he could impose reforms to the council tax system to level out how much homeowners pay.
The Prime Minister suggested he could use his first few weeks in office to reform or replace existing council tax legislation to "create some fairness" in the north of England.
Speaking on Monday, he added: "Obviously, what we’re trying to do is to make taxation fairer.
"I removed VAT off electricity bills, said we would do that, and that will come through later later in the year.
"We are looking at how we take that little bit of pressure off people’s shoulders, reduce the cost of living.
"These are priorities, and we obviously will keep working towards them."
It comes after LBC revealed Mr Burnham is to set up a "Department for Health and Social Care North" to be based in Leeds.
A source close to the new Health Secretary Yvette Cooper said she has asked the Department to draw up plans that would complement the plans for Number 10 North on the other side of the Pennines, allowing Ministers to work from Quarry House in the North.