Jeremy Hunt refuses to inform Robert Peston what number of houses he owns in TV conflict
Jeremy Hunt has refused to say what number of houses he owns after he introduced a tax break for landlords within the Budget.
The Chancellor has slashed the highest price of capital features tax on property gross sales from 28% to 24%. It will reduce the tax invoice for folks with a number of houses in the event that they select to promote up.
There are 80 Conservative MPs who’re landlords of properties within the UK who would probably profit. They embody Cabinet ministers Gillian Keegan, Lucy Frazer and Claire Coutinho.
As he appeared on ITV’s Peston programme, Mr Hunt refused to reply questions on what number of properties he owns. “These are personal questions,” he advised presenter Robert Peston. When pushed, Mr Hunt stated: “We declare all these things.”
According to the register of pursuits, the Chancellor is a landlord with seven residences in Southampton, a half-share in an workplace constructing in London and a half-share in a vacation dwelling in Italy. It isn’t identified what different properties he owns.
Mr Hunt stated he wouldn’t be higher off because of the reduce to capital features tax. He advised Peston: “In fact I won’t benefit from the CGT change because I took that decision and I’ve decided that when it comes to properties I own, it would be wrong for me to benefit from a direct decision like that. So I will pay tax at the previous rate.”
The Treasury stated the reduce to capital features tax will “encourage landlords and second home-owners to sell their properties, making more available for a variety of buyers including those looking to get on the housing ladder for the first time”.
In a separate interview with BBC Radio 4, Mr Hunt misplaced his cool after he was accused of failing to show the financial system round. Presenter Amol Rajan stated: “This might be one of your last big acts in politics. Do you really think you’ve met the moment? This is a country ravaged by economic shocks – at best drifting, at worst, stagnant.
“We all know about its potential, but we’ve had seven quarters of falling GDP per head. That’s been revised downwards. We’re hooked on foreign labour, the birth rate is collapsing, many public services are creaking, councils are going bust. Those are facts. Has your budget really come even close to meeting the scale of the challenges this country faces?”
Mr Hunt hit again, saying: “I think the overall characterisation you’ve just given of the British economy is unworthy of the BBC.”
