TaxPayers' Alliance supporters took to the streets of Leigh-on-Sea yesterday as part of our 'Stamp Out Stamp Duty' campaign. Our arrival had been telegraphed in advance by a radio broadcast on Heart Radio earlier that morning, so many of the people we spoke to knew we would be there.
The reception was fantastic, with many local residents expressing their disgust for a tax that makes the process of buying a home even more expensive. Local estate agents and businesses were also incredibly supportive.
“My son cannot afford a house of his own”, one concerned mother told me. “He works hard, and he’s left home, but all he can afford is a rental. I feel like he’s being punished for doing all the right things”.
Nearly half of all properties in the South East fall into the dreaded 3 per cent category or higher. A house hunter looking for a modest property costing £250,001 pays £7500 in stamp duty, but if they'd paid £1 less, they would save £5000. This is just one of the injustices of this pernicious tax.
If you haven't done so already, please go to StampOutStampDuty.Org and write to your MP. It only takes a minute, and makes a real difference.