Voters back ‘mansion tax’ on £1m properties to fund NHS and social care, new poll finds
2 min read
A new poll has suggested there is public support for a “mansion tax” on properties worth more than £1million to help fund public spending.
It comes after former Chancellor Sajid Javid was reported to be set to include such a levy in his planned first Budget.
But after he resigned last month Boris Johnson is said to have cooled on the idea, following a sharp backlash from his own MPs.
And Mr Javid’s replacement in the Treasury, Rishi Sunak, is now unlikely to be unveiling the measure when he delivers the Budget on Wednesday.
However the BMG survey for The Independent found a “mansion tax” was supported by 63% of respondents, with just 16% against.
Even among Tory voters there was a majority in favour, with 55% happy to see such a levy, while Labour voters backed the idea by 72-11 and Liberal Democrats by 70-10.
The poll also revealed there was 62% support for new higher-rate council tax bands for properties worth more than £1million, and almost half said they would back a new wealth tax levied on the total value of an individual’s assets.
Voters were also heavily in favour (73%) of paying more tax to boost spending on the health service, while 61% would pay more to improve social care).
Shadow chancellor John McDonnell told the newspaper: “This poll reaffirms Labour’s view that people agree with us that we need a fair tax system.
“This Budget needs to reverse the Tory tax giveaways to the rich and corporations and invest in our NHS and social care for our elderly. People clearly increasingly want action on climate change, another of Labour’s priorities.”
And the Lib Dem’s acting leader Ed Davey said: “Even before coronavirus, our country was facing a crisis in social care and the NHS.
“These figures show the public are now willing to see tax rises to deal with the UK’s health and care crises, as Liberal Democrats have been arguing.
“This is an important poll as it means ministers now have no excuse to continue to do nothing – not least on climate action where support has grown considerably.”
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