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Labour mansion tax 'would be paid by royals' | Labour mansion tax 'would be paid by royals' |
(about 1 hour later) | |
The Royal Family would not be exempt from Labour's so-called mansion tax, Ed Balls has confirmed. | The Royal Family would not be exempt from Labour's so-called mansion tax, Ed Balls has confirmed. |
The shadow chancellor said taxation rules were the same for everyone and it was right that the royals "pay taxes just like everybody else". | The shadow chancellor said taxation rules were the same for everyone and it was right that the royals "pay taxes just like everybody else". |
Labour has pledged to bring in a new levy on homes worth more than £2m if it wins power at the general election. | Labour has pledged to bring in a new levy on homes worth more than £2m if it wins power at the general election. |
It has been criticised as a "tax on London" but the party says it would help to "save and transform" the NHS. | It has been criticised as a "tax on London" but the party says it would help to "save and transform" the NHS. |
Unveiling the promise at Labour's annual conference in September, leader Ed Miliband said it would go towards funding 36,000 extra doctors, nurses and midwives. | Unveiling the promise at Labour's annual conference in September, leader Ed Miliband said it would go towards funding 36,000 extra doctors, nurses and midwives. |
Asked on Sky News if the "mansion tax" would cover Balmoral, Mr Balls said there had "always been a cross-party consensus that we have fair and tough rules for the financing of the royal household", adding the royals "pay taxes just like everybody else and rightly so". | Asked on Sky News if the "mansion tax" would cover Balmoral, Mr Balls said there had "always been a cross-party consensus that we have fair and tough rules for the financing of the royal household", adding the royals "pay taxes just like everybody else and rightly so". |
"There aren't different rules for anybody," he added. "That's the nature of our society." | "There aren't different rules for anybody," he added. "That's the nature of our society." |
But he said parts of the royal estate open to the public would be exempt from the property tax. | But he said parts of the royal estate open to the public would be exempt from the property tax. |
The shadow chancellor also confirmed that home owners would be able to self-certify the value of their property, using a system currently applied to commercially owned premises. | The shadow chancellor also confirmed that home owners would be able to self-certify the value of their property, using a system currently applied to commercially owned premises. |
'Family homes tax' | |
Earlier Lord Prescott had said that, other than the "mansion tax" and the party's proposal to raise the minimum wage, "nothing sticks in my mind" from Labour's conference. | Earlier Lord Prescott had said that, other than the "mansion tax" and the party's proposal to raise the minimum wage, "nothing sticks in my mind" from Labour's conference. |
"I do remember Ed Balls saying he would freeze child benefit but I can't see many people racing to the polling booths for that," the former deputy PM wrote in the Sunday Mirror. | "I do remember Ed Balls saying he would freeze child benefit but I can't see many people racing to the polling booths for that," the former deputy PM wrote in the Sunday Mirror. |
Meanwhile, Labour donor Lord Noon criticised the "mansion tax" as "hopeless and desperate". | Meanwhile, Labour donor Lord Noon criticised the "mansion tax" as "hopeless and desperate". |
Reservations have also been expressed by Labour MPs in London, including David Lammy and Margaret Hodge, as well as the Conservative Mayor of London Boris Johnson. | Reservations have also been expressed by Labour MPs in London, including David Lammy and Margaret Hodge, as well as the Conservative Mayor of London Boris Johnson. |
A spokesman for the Conservatives said of the policy: "Ed Miliband says this new tax will start at £2m, but even senior Labour MPs in London are saying that it could end up hitting ordinary family homes. | |
It "looks like this is just a new tax on everyone's family home", the party added. | |
Although first proposed by the Lib Dems in their 2010 manifesto, leader Nick Clegg has told his party's conference he wants to replace the idea. | |
He instead wants to introduce new council tax bands on high value homes. |
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