An orgy of shroud waving in yesterday's Evening Standard, here are some of the punchlines:
Londoners were asked if they thought they would have to “pay more” under a mansion system advocated by Labour and the Liberal Democrats.
The results show that 15 per cent believed they would — despite only two per cent of the capital’s homes being worth more than £2 million. The poll also showed 49 per cent of Londoners “strongly” or “tend to” support the idea of a mansion tax while 18 per cent are opposed...
A spokeswoman for Mayor Boris Johnson said many pensioners would find a mansion tax “devastating”. Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls has indicated low-income pensioners would be allowed to postpone tax payments until they, or their heirs, sell the property. A Lib-Dem spokesman claimed there was “overwhelming support among Londoners” for their proposals.
But pensioners Tim and Penny Hicks, who bought their house in a former slum area of Notting Hill in 1968 for £11,750 and now see it worth an estimated £3 million, said a mansion tax would be “iniquitous”.
Debate Magazine
