'Mansion tax' fails to gain Lib Dem backing
The Liberal Democrats have refused to vote for a Labour motion calling for a "mansion tax" on £2 million homes – accusing the Opposition of "pantomime politics".
The Lib Dems have long championed the plan to tax wealth rather than earnings – but have failed to convince reluctant coalition partners the Conservatives to get behind it.
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Labour's attempts to drive a wedge between the Government appeared to fail, however, as its motion was defeated by 304 votes to 241, a majority of 63, yesterday.
The Government amendment – spelling out the coalition's differences but attacking Labour's record – was passed by 301 votes to 246, a majority of 55.
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Some 2,300 properties in the South West are estimated to be worth more than £2 million.
Labour has said the tax raised would help pay for a return to the lower 10p-in-the-£1 starting rate of tax that was scrapped by Gordon Brown in 2008. But Lib Dems have argued the Coalition raising the income tax threshold has been more effective, as low earners are now £600 a year better off.
Labour accused Nick Clegg and the Liberal Democrats of "once again betraying their principles and their supporters".
But Stephen Gilbert, Lib Dem for St Austell and Newquay, said: "The Liberal Democrats are lifting millions of the lowest-paid out of income tax altogether while the Labour motion suggests that Labour want to bring in yet another new tax rate for low earners.
"It's clear that the Liberal Democrats support a mansion tax and that the Conservatives don't. I voted against Labour's new tax rate for low earners and in favour of taking them out of tax altogether, and affirmed my support for a mansion tax, in contrast to the Conservatives."
5 Comments
by realityzone
Wednesday, March 13 2013, 6:02PM
“You might be forgiven for thinking that taxation policy is all about raising sums of money so as to spend it on the less fortunate. Not as simple as that because that principle is skewed by that old socialist mantra " the politics of envy"
So to keep the liberal left happy we increase capital gains tax to a point where people will not sell assets at all and thus pay no CGT. Since that change the money raised from CGT has actually gone down, so there's less to spend on the less fortunate, but it makes someone somewhere feel they have achieved something - pathetic”
by JosefLeninski
Wednesday, March 13 2013, 5:44PM
“New Labour abandoned the working class of this country for the unemployed, immigrants and the EU. The working people of this country have now abandoned the middle class Labour party.”
by Crueys
Wednesday, March 13 2013, 2:22PM
“@sammy_cheese........ why do you keep saying Labour.. this shower are all for the rich, those that have it all...... yes I have worked all my life, yes I was well educated and yes I have a comforable home but certainly not anything like rich.I get so sick and tired as vunerable people being all labeled as drug addicts and lazy.. we DO HAVE MANY GENUINE vunerable people today who are not drug addicts or lazy....do I take it you are not disabled ot terminally ill. I could go on but believe it will fall on deaf ears”
by Free2opine
Wednesday, March 13 2013, 10:28AM
“Good.
A completely unworkable idea that would cost more to implement than it could ever reap back in taxes.
Somebody please save us from dunderheads in all political parties.”
by sammy_cheese
Wednesday, March 13 2013, 9:36AM
“If you get off your backside, get educated, get a job, work hard and buy a nice house Labour like to kick you. If you stay in bed watching daytime TV and develop a drug habit then you are the most vulnerable in society and they praise and support you.”