Prominent economists including Jim O’Neill, an ally of Andy Burnham, are urging the MP for Makerfield to pursue radical tax and spending reform to “unlock the gridlock that plagues the country” when he is confirmed as prime minister.

O’Neill joins Jonathan Portes, an economics professor at King’s College London, and Danny Sriskandarajah, the chief executive of the New Economics Foundation, in calling for bold action in an open letter.