Dear Sarah,
Yesterday the Labour Party published a policy proposal entitled ‘Land for the Many’ which contains a number of plans that will be incredible alarming to residents in Croydon.
As Shadow Housing Minister, you are responsible for this area and the impact it will have on local people.
First, you say you want to replace Council Tax with a ‘progressive property tax’. This will result in a tax rise for Croydon’s homeowners – a fact acknowledged on page 33 of your proposal where you say it will ‘generate more revenue’.
Secondly, your new property tax will mean family homes with gardens will pay far more tax and will be based on the value of the home, ignoring the ability to pay. This will force tax bills to rocket, hitting hard those with assets but without cash.
Thirdly, you’ve revealed that Labour would require regular revaluations with no banding structure, meaning state inspectors regularly inspecting homes to assess their value.
And perhaps worst of all, you say you want to abolish the single person discount which will hugely impact pensioners, single-parents and young people living alone. This matters, as it will mean the cost of living for our residents will increase to unacceptable levels.
How can you justify any of this to homeowners in Croydon?
Compare that to the record of the current Conservative Government:
- We are setting out bold reforms to deliver on average 300,000 homes a year by the middle of the 2020s – committing at least £44 billion - raising housing supply by the end of this Parliament to its highest level since 1970s.
- We are cutting stamp duty for 95 per cent of first-time buyers - saving them up to £5,000 on the purchase of their home. Since this was introduced over 280,000 people have saved money on a deposit for their new home and we're abolishing stamp duty retrospectively for first-time buyers of shared ownership homes.
- Under the Conservatives council tax in England is 6 per cent lower in real terms and local taxpayers have a right to veto excessive tax increases. Under the last Labour Government, council tax doubled and in Labour-run Wales it has trebled. Bills are soaring by up to 10 per cent in Wales this year alone. In Labour-run Croydon, your party colleagues have hiked local Council Tax by 17% since 2014.
If Jeremy Corbyn’s party, your party, ever get into power it will mean higher taxes on working people and a brake on social mobility. Those who work hard to own their own home will be hit hard by your astonishing proposals. It is nothing more than a tax on aspiration.
I look forward to your speedy reply.
Kind Regards,
Mario Creatura
Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Croydon Central
Ps. It has been over a month and I am still waiting for your reply to my letter of 1st May asking whether or not you support your party leader who wrote an endorsement for a book that the British Board of Deputies described as ‘pure and unequivocal racism and there can be no apology for it.’
Photo by Courtney Corlew on Unsplash
