Industry hits out at rumours as No 10 denies plan to abolish stamp duty and council tax Politics Andy Burnham is “not considering” scrapping stamp duty and council tax, Downing Street has said, as the government moves to pour cold water on rumours of major tax changes that had spooked property sector leaders. Business chiefs condemned the government over the danger of property tax speculation after reports over the weekend suggested that Burnham [...]
Londoners should back Andy Burnham’s property tax reforms – not fear them Opinion Replacing Stamp Duty and council tax with a proportional property tax will make London’s housing market work better, says Andrew Dixon If a “London tax grab” were on the cards, Londoners would rightly be wary. They already face high rents, high mortgages and some of the largest tax bills in the country. Yet Fairer Share’s Proportional [...]
London homeowners should stand up to Burnham’s property tax grab plans Opinion Andy Burnham has previously a ‘proportional property tax’ which would mean Londoner’s taxes going to pay for leisure centres in the North, says Charles Amos When it comes to the question of Britain’s most hated tax, council tax is only beaten by inheritance tax. Yet for Andy Burnham its reform and increase of the upper [...]
Local authorities thwart housebuilding with ‘manifestly unfair’ council tax raid on developers May 28, 2026 Cash-strapped local authorities across Britain are thwarting efforts to increase housebuilding by hitting property developers with steep council tax bills as soon as their homes are listed as complete, an influential industry body has warned. In a paper shared with Morning Wire, the boss of the Home Builders Federation (HBF) accused local councils of slapping [...]
Housebuilders on hook for mansion tax if they fail to sell property after a year May 20, 2026 Property developers will be forced to pay the Labour’s new mansion tax if they take more than a year to offload newly built luxury homes, raising fresh fears that housebuilders will be further disincentivised from building homes in the capital. As part of plans included in a Treasury consultation document, housing developers will be liable [...]
Why do lefties struggle to pay their taxes? May 14, 2026 Zack Polanski is just the latest in a long line of leftwingers to find himself embroiled in a financial scandal, explains James Ford Zack Polanski has been a naughty boy. No, I’m not referring to his recent dressing down by the Commissioner of the Met. Or even to the latest allegations that he has been [...]
London local election results 2026: Labour lose Westminster as Tories take control May 6, 2026 CLICK HERE to view all the latest London election results The Conservatives have gained Westminster City Council from Labour after losing in 2022. The Tories pinched nine seats from Labour, who slumped to 22. No surprise now that, as earlier reported, the atmosphere among Tory campaigners in Westminster was jubilant. CLICK HERE to view all the latest [...]
London local elections results 2026: Labour lose Wandsworth council May 6, 2026 CLICK HERE to view all the latest London election results Labour has lost an incredibly tight contest in the west London borough of Wandsworth. The Conservatives picked up eight extra seats to take their total to 29, while Labour lost six to slump to 28. The Tories had been eyeing a takeover in Wandsworth, but the borough [...]
Local elections 2026: who will win in Hounslow Council? May 6, 2026 Labour is favourite to hold Hounslow Council in May 2026 – but only just. Reform UK is contesting all 62 seats, the Greens are targeting Chiswick, and independents are standing across the borough, as Band D council tax hits £2,185. With turnout typically low, even small shifts in vote share could reshape individual wards. Hounslow [...]
Local elections 2026: who will win in Hillingdon Council? May 6, 2026 CLICK HERE to view all the latest London election results The Conservatives have run Hillingdon since 2006 but their majority is slipping. Reform is targeting the Leave-voting area hard, a 4.99 per cent council tax rise is biting, and a £65m Heathrow-linked funding gap is straining local services. No overall control seems to be a [...]