Spiteful or honest? Reeves’s mansion tax plan proves divisive | Housing

Jonathan Liew’s article (Received’t any individual please consider Britain’s poor £2m householders? Oh, wait – everybody already is, 2 November) solely misses the purpose that underlies the spate of criticism in opposition to the “mansion tax”. Whereas wealth disparity is little doubt a difficulty that must be addressed, this tax is a spiteful assault on hard-working taxpayers who already pay an unlimited proportion of their wage to the Treasury to assist a woefully mismanaged public sector and welfare state. Those that assist the tax appear to be pushed by a easy ideology that we have to “bash the wealthy” to create equality.

In the true world, this tax penalises hard-working households who’ve made troublesome selections and made enormous sacrifices to get to the place they’re. I come from a working-class background, I labored arduous in school and achieved good grades, I labored part-time jobs, paid my very own means by way of college and selected a occupation that pays nicely, relocating to London and making sacrifices to earn good cash – spending 18 hours a day within the workplace – and I selected to purchase property and spend money on it. I didn’t get pleasure from annual holidays or a defined-benefit pension that others get pleasure from.

These are all selections that I’ve made within the hope that the arduous work and sacrifices will repay, and that my household and I can benefit from the fruit of my labour. The ideas of arduous work, self-sacrifice and aspiration ought to be rewarded. We’re biting the hand of center England that feeds this bloated nation. Robert ApplefordSevenoaks, Kent

Jonathan Liew’s article is a brilliantly witty and correct depiction of the skewed nature of present public discourse on wealth and equity on this nation. Perhaps it’s nothing new, however the response to the so-called mansion tax that Jonathan describes appears indicative of an rising lack of any sense of privilege among the many most privileged in our society.

My spouse and I personal our house (price £250,000), although with a considerable mortgage. Our annual family earnings is round £70,000, which has to cowl the aforementioned mortgage in addition to the price of elevating three younger kids. I don’t all the time really feel fortunate (I primarily simply really feel drained), however I do know that within the grand scheme of issues, I’m extremely fortunate and privileged. I attempt to remind myself of this reality every time I’m tempted to complain or whine about one thing.

I (perhaps naively) assumed that most individuals in related or extra privileged circumstances shared this sentiment, however am more and more nervous that it could be changing into a increasingly uncommon perspective.Tom HoldenOtley, West Yorkshire

The individuals complaining about being topic to the mansion tax don’t have any recognition of how privileged they’re to have the ability to afford to purchase property outright, by no means thoughts a property of that worth. I ponder how they might really feel to be in my footwear. I’ve a supposedly reasonably priced shared-ownership flat. The balancing expenses for the final three years have amounted to virtually £10,000 on high of the month-to-month payment. A £2,500 tax appears affordable by comparability. I’d like to personal a home outright so I don’t need to be topic these expenses, however that’s not going to occur on my earnings. Some individuals actually do have a tin ear.Vicky Mills Winchester

I cherished Jonathan Liew’s piece in regards to the wealthy whingeing a few small little bit of tax. It jogged my memory of the billionaire bankers and hedge fund managers whingeing a few little bit of company tax. In the meantime, kids starve. Women and men dwell in tents within the park. The issue is that the wealthy actually assume they deserve their wealth whereas the poor deserve their poverty. In any other case how may they dwell with themselves? For extra on this timeless subject, learn George Bernard Shaw’s introduction to Pygmalion written in 1913.Package JacksonLondon

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