A newly elected SNP MP, Lara Bird, calls for Andy Burnham to scrap a proposed Northern Ireland tax increase, describing it as “short-sighted” and arguing it would harm economic performance. In her comments reported by the Belfast Telegraph and the Evening Standard, Bird says the policy is “choking-off” economic growth in Scotland. The reports frame the dispute as part of ongoing political disagreement over fiscal measures and their impact on the wider UK economy, with Bird presenting the tax hike as a threat to investment and business activity. Neither report provides additional policy details, timing, or evidence cited for the claim. The coverage focuses on Bird’s criticism of the proposed tax approach and her argument that it would have negative economic consequences. The articles do not include a direct response from Burnham within the provided summaries, nor do they detail any alternative proposals. The issue remains under political debate, with Bird calling for the tax hike to be withdrawn.