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Gary Lineker has hiked pressure on Andy Burnham to increase taxes on millionaires despite warnings that a wealth tax is the “last thing the country needs”. The England footballer turned broadcaster and podcast mogul urged the new Labour Prime Minister to raise taxes on “extreme levels of wealth”.

Lineker, 65, issued his call as economics experts warn that Britain’s tax burden is a brake on growth and hurts entrepreneurship.

He said: “Paying your fair share is a basic British value, but so many ordinary people are already paying more than they can afford. Our richest people can do more, and most want to.

“To live up to our national values, our new Government must raise taxes on extreme levels of wealth for a fairer, better, more hopeful Britain.”

But Callum Price, of the Institute of Economic Affairs, suggested Lineker – who earned at least £1.35million in 2024-25 in his former BBC role – could make a voluntary donation to the Treasury.

He said: “A new wealth tax is the last thing the country needs. It won’t raise nearly as much money as its proponents say it will, and it will do far more harm than good by deterring investment and putting off the very wealth creators we badly need to turn our economy around.

“There is a reason that so many countries that have tried wealth taxes ended up ditching them. What’s more, in the UK we already raise more tax as a share of GDP from wealth-related taxes than any other OECD country.

“If so many millionaires are so proud to pay, they can donate to the Treasury voluntarily whenever they like.”

Lineker is one of more than 100 UK-based millionaires, including music producer Brian Eno, who have signed a letter urging Mr Burnham to tax their wealth.

The letter, organised by Patriotic Millionaires UK, states: “We want you to tax us. We can afford it. We’re not talking about higher taxes on those who get up and go to work for their income every day, but on the very richest whose income is derived from the wealth they hold.”

Lineker said: “Our fantastic country deserves all of us to get behind it. I’m proud to stand with people across the UK who want to live in a more equal society.”

Patriotic Millionaires claims a “2% tax on wealth over £10million could raise £24billion a year for the UK”.

But Daniel Herring, of the Centre for Policy Studies, warned: “Wealth taxes have proved disastrous time and again. They are unfair, unworkable, and send a signal that Britain is not a place for aspiration, investment or success.”

He recommended that Mr Burnham direct the “celebrities” to sign this letter to HMRC’s website, where they can make additional voluntary contributions if they so choose.

Shadow Chancellor Sir Mel Stride also opposed the proposal, saying: “Another tax rise is the last thing our country needs.

“Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves have already hiked taxes to pay for more welfare, stifling growth and squeezing hard-working families. Now, Andy Burnham has come into Government without a plan, and is heading rapidly towards making the same mistakes.

“Rather than making endless spending commitments and then hiking taxes to pay for them, Burnham should get spending under control.”

Robert Jenrick, whom Nigel Farage intends to appoint Chancellor if Reform UK wins the next election, said: “f Gary Lineker and co want to pay more, they should write a cheque to the Treasury today – no one’s stopping them. Let’s see if they will put their money where their mouth is.

“Now’s not the time to be risking even more money, businesses and jobs leaving the UK. Instead we need to cut immigration, cut taxes on working people, and stop handing out tens of billions in welfare for those who choose not to work.”

Ben Sweetman, of the Policy Exchange think tank, said that when France introduced a wealth tax in the 1980s, “thousands emigrated, away taking their tax receipts with them”.

He said: “Inequality and our sluggish economic growth should be tackled by improving work incentives, not by taxing wealth.”