Land Value Tax is supported by major political parties, and commitments to implementing it are in the manifestos of several, including the current Government Coalition:-
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Liberal Democrat Manifesto, Page 26
"Reform business rates, creating a fairer system where rates are based on site values rather than rental values and are the responsibility of local authorities."
http://network.libdems.org.uk/manifesto2010/libdem_manifesto_2010.pdf
Nick Clegg, the Lib Dem leader and Deputy Prime Minister, is among senior party figures in favour of shifting the tax system to extract more from those benefiting from unearned income. [Front Page, The Sunday Times, 28 August 2011]
Vince Cable, the Business Secretary, in the same article said that Britain needs a "proper examination about how a land tax could be made to work. Government is going to look at this at some point [because] the traditional tax base is more and more difficult to apply. Income tax for high earners is becoming difficult to enforce... land tax is one thing you can't take off to Monaco." Vince added: "Business rates would be the first thing to look at... you could replace business rates with a tax based on the value of a site; then, instead of council tax, you could have a property tax based on the underlying value of the land calculated on an annual basis."
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Co-operative Party Manifesto [a subsidiary of the Labour Party with 28 MPs and 16 Lords], Page 7 and 17
"There is significant evidence to suggest that the shortage of homes in the UK has been artificially created by a poorly functioning property market. This has had the effect of substantial growth in house prices, with the market rewarding those with property assets at the expense of people seeking places to live. In order to prevent similar problems emerging in the upturn, the Government should use taxation to change incentives within the property market, ensuring that it incentivises the productive use of land rather than expected capital gains in an upward market. The Government should replace council tax and national non-domestic rates with a land value tax."
http://party.coop/images/2010%20manifesto.pdf
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The Green Party Manifesto, Page 15
"...we favour moving to a system of Land Value Tax, where the level of taxation depends on the rental value of the land concerned."
http://www.greenparty.org.uk/assets/files/resources/Manifesto_web_file.pdf |
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Christian Peoples Alliance Manifesto [with 150 local & parliamentary candidates, 2010 General Election], Page 5:
"Land Value Taxation will be rolled out in preference to income-based taxes. This will help ensure greater distribution of wealth, as those who benefit most from land value increases do so not from their own skill or industry, but as a consequence of public investment in transport links, health, education and other social spending. LVT will also provide an incentive for efficient use of urban infrastructure."
"The CPA will seek monetary reform so that the financial rewards of money creation do not go to the banks, which use this power to make unprecedented profit levels. It should instead become a prerogative of the people, through the appointment of an Independent Monetary Committee of the Bank of England. Money supply will be controlled not by the banks, but through Committee approvals."http://www.cpaparty.org.uk/resources/policy/CPA_Election_Manifesto_2010.pdf |
Countries such as Denmark, Hong Kong and Taiwan utilise land values to help their economies. Local Authorities in parts of Australia, New Zealand and North America have all adopted local forms of land value taxation.
The concept of LVT is not new in the UK, and has had significant support over the past century - perhaps the most well known historical advocate being Winston Churchill. A history of the Bills that have already been produced in preparation for UK Parliamentary Acts can be found on this site (under the Further Resources link in the left hand menu). |
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