UK PM Burnham to Host Business Chiefs for Growth Talks

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham will meet the heads of several major companies on Monday to discuss his plans for generating economic growth, his office has said.

The prime minister is set to host a reception with the chief executives of firms including banks HSBC and Standard Chartered, oil majors BP and Shell, and telecom companies BT and Vodafone.

At the meeting, Burnham is expected to say that his plans for devolution can help deliver much-needed infrastructure, and that he will look to support a culture shift to back innovation.

The reception with the bosses of some of Britain's biggest energy companies follows a report that Burnham is set to delay a decision on whether to bring the Shell-backed Jackdaw gas field online until after a parliamentary by-election next month.

Before the reception, the prime minister will hold a roundtable with British entrepreneurs from the fields of fintech, AI, clean energy and advanced manufacturing.

The engagement comes after finance minister John Healey used his first major speech since taking office last week to set out a brighter vision for the economy, ahead of an annual budget in which he faces tough tax and spending choices.