Gary Lineker joins 120 'patriotic millionaires' telling Andy Burnham they want to pay more tax

Gary Lineker is leading calls from the 'super rich' for Andy Burnham to tax them more.

The England striker turned TV commentator has joined 120 wealthy individuals who want to give the Government more of their money.

He has added his name to a letter to the new Prime Minister organised by a group called Patriotic Millionaires UK which states: 'We are proud to pay and here to stay.'

The 65-year-old, estimated to be worth £30million after setting up one of Britain's most successful podcast companies, said last night: '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.'

Other signatories to the letter include musician Brian Eno, crime writer Val McDermid and left-wing economist Gary Stevenson.

They told Mr Burnham that they do not want higher taxes on those who go to work every day, but instead 'on the very richest whose income is derived from the wealth they hold'.

The letter says that 'extreme wealth sitting idle in the hands of a few' should be used to reduce inequality and improve public services and concludes: 'It's time to tax us, the super rich.'

It does not specify a particular policy but there have long been calls on the left, including from former Labour leader Lord Kinnock, for an annual levy on the assets of the super-rich.

Just this week academics said that a 2 per cent charge on those with more than £100m in the bank would raise £10billion a year.

Mr Burnham himself was asked by Lineker last week if he was considering imposing a wealth tax.

He replied that he was 'not going rule things out right now' but added: 'I do believe we need a greater sense of fairness.'