A Labour government would launch a mansion tax on homes worth over £2m in its first weeks of taking power, Ed Miliband has today revealed.
Speaking in Manchester, the party leader said the plans formed part of measures to fund an emergency round of recruitment for 1,000 extra trainee nurses.
Today’s announcement defied expectations that the annual levy on properties worth over £2m would not be imposed for years following the General Election in May.
Funding for Labour’s NHS ‘rescue plan’ would also come from tobacco taxes and action to tackle tax avoidance.
‘With A&E in crisis, staff shortages, and hospitals weighed down by large deficits, this plan has to start immediately. Straight away. With real money, right now,’ Miliband said.
‘In our first 100 days, our first Budget, our first year in office, we’ll begin to bring in funds from the mansion tax and tobacco levy. And we will use that money to support the NHS with our immediate Rescue Plan.’
‘An emergency round of nurse recruitment. Funding for 1,000 extra training places this year. Getting extra resources into the NHS right from the very start.’
