Business groups are urging Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham to reverse a planned rise in National Insurance costs, arguing it is adding pressure on hiring and investment. They cite new data suggesting British firms’ hiring plans have remained at historic lows since last spring.
The reports frame the issue as part of a wider slowdown in labour demand. In this account, firms are described as operating in a “low-hire, low-fire” mode, meaning they are retaining staff rather than adding new workers. The outlets focus on the potential knock-on effects for employers and employment, with the National Insurance change presented as a cost factor that could further deter hiring.
The coverage is largely aligned in its emphasis on the same data point—weak hiring intentions—and on the policy call for Burnham to act. However, it does not provide detailed responses from Burnham or officials, nor does it include competing interpretations of the figures or alternative explanations for the hiring pattern.
