BBC Presenter Skewers Lib Dem Leader Ed Davey Over His Mansion Tax U-Turn

Liberal Democrats leader Ed Davey.BBC presenter Nick Robinson skewered Ed Davey after he U-turned over his support for a mansion tax on the most expensive homes.The Lib Dem leader used to support the policy when his party were in a coalition government with the Conservatives.But he has criticised Rachel Reeves for imposing higher council tax on properties worth more than £2 million in yesterday’s Budget.On Radio 4′s Today programme, Robinson accused Davey of performing his about-turn because he wanted to get well-off Tories to vote for his party.He asked Davey: “So you don’t think rich people should pay more for their houses. Why not?”Davey told him: “We’re finding other ways to raise tax.”Robinson hit back: “But why shouldn’t people in £2 million houses pay more money? I want to know why you think it’s not right for £2 million houses to be charged more council tax.”The Lib Dem leader said: “Because we think we can get the tax we need in other ways that are fairer.“For example, in our general election manifesto we talked about a reform to capital gains tax where the 0.1% of wealthiest would pay more, and that would raise far more than what’s proposed by this tax.”Robinson asked him again: “Why is it unfair for wealthy people in £2 million houses to pay more?”But Davey, the MP for Kingston and Surbiton, insisted that “some of those people aren’t wealthy”.Robinson said: “What a cynic might say is ‘Ed Davey’s always been very clear, he’s always trying to get Tory votes in the south of England so he doesn’t want to back tax rises that offend his potential voters’. When you were in government, you advocated this.”Davey replied: “That was a long, long time ago and in those days the Conservatives believed in the European Union. They’ve changed an awful lot since then.”Delivering her Budget on Wednesday, the chancellor said the owners of homes worth more than £2n would pay £2,500 a year, while those with homes worth more than £5m would pay £7,500.She said: ”“This new surcharge will raise over £400m by 2031 and will be charged on fewer than the top 1% of properties.”Related...What You Need To Know From Rachel Reeves' Budget – After It Was Leaked EarlyMinister Goes After Lib Dem Leader Ed Davey With Below The Belt AttackEd Davey Mocks Elon Musk After He Calls Him 'A Craven Coward'

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