'The only surprise is that the imaginary ‘meat tax’ and the fantasy seven bins haven’t made another appearance'
The Tories have been scoffed at for their latest attempt to win back the electorate, or scare them from voting for the opposition, is to push a claim that there is a ‘secret plan’ from Labour around taxes.
Laura Trott was sent out on behalf of the Conservatives to lead a press conference this morning where she claimed that Labour have a “secret plan” to put capital gains tax on people’s first home.
Trott said: “The idea that Labour is secretly planning to put capital gains tax on your primary residence for the first time is a disastrous policy for families, up and down the country.
“It is something that the Labour party should not do in secret, they must be honest about their plans and the impact that this would have on family homes, up and down the country.”
Capital gains tax does not apply to selling main homes that are 5,000 square metres or less, and her assumption appears to be based on the fact Labour has not directly ruled this out whereas she said Labour “couldn’t get out there quick enough to say no, no, we’re not raising VAT.”
It comes after an exchange on the ITV debate on Thursday evening when Penny Mordaunt asked Angela Rayner if she would commit to ruling out increasing capital gains tax. Rayner said, “there is nothing in our manifesto that means we have to raise capital gains tax”.
Trott’s argument has been criticised and left commentators less than impressed by the election campaign attack line.
The Deputy Political Editor of the Mirror, Mikey Smith, said on X: “Thing about Laura Trott’s claim that Labour are “not denying” raising cap gains on primary homes, is that they’ve never been asked to. Mordaunt’s question (the basis for the made up nonsense) didn’t even mention it.
“The Tories know this, because it’s quoted IN THEIR DOSSIER.”
He added: “It’s like asking someone to rule out a new tax on transport and then saying LABOUR ARE SECRETLY PLANNING A PAVEMENT WALKING TAX.”
One social media user commented: “The economic genius who calls herself Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Laura Trott, says “Labour is secretly planning to put capital gains tax on your primary residence”.
“If it’s a secret how would she know? More scaremongering by another Tory liar.”
Conservative candidate Bim Afolami also touted this line during an interview on BBC Today this morning, claiming the party “refused to rule it out”.
In response the interviewer Mishal Husain reminded him, “your decisions on freezing tax thresholds have taken many more people into paying income tax in the first place” before she directed the conversation towards what the Tories are offering.
Darren Jones, the shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury accused the Tories of resorting to making up their attacks.
Jones said: “It’s a sign of the chaos and desperation in the Tory campaign that they are spending their time talking about things they have imagined and that Labour isn’t doing, rather than the state of the country after 14 years.
“The only surprise is that the imaginary ‘meat tax’ and the fantasy seven bins haven’t made another appearance.”
It also comes as the Tories finances were called out on BBC Question Time by business and communications adviser Iain Anderson on the panel who said “their sums don’t add up anymore.”
Anderson said: “There’s a £12 billion gap in those sums, and nobody can properly explain where the money is going to come from.”
Furthermore, under the Tories the tax burden was at its highest level in over 70 years in 2022/23.
Hannah Davenport is news reporter at Left Foot Forward
To reach hundreds of thousands of new readers and to make the biggest impact we can in the next general election, we need to grow our donor base substantially.
That's why in 2024, we are seeking to generate 150 additional regular donors to support Left Foot Forward's work.
We still need another 124 people to donate to hit the target. You can help. Donate today.