Fixing Britain’s broken property-tax system will take courage
The Labour government is unlikely to go there
For British politicians, handling property taxes is like playing Minesweeper, the 1990s video game in which one wrong move can mean game over. Angela Rayner, Britain’s former deputy prime minister, became the latest casualty on September 5th, resigning after revelations that she underpaid stamp duty, a transaction tax, on a second home. Next up to play will be the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, as she prepares for the budget in November.
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This article appeared in the Britain section of the print edition under the headline “Another brick in the wall”
From the September 13th 2025 edition
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Melvyn Bragg is retiring from “In Our Time”
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