New poll shows how public feel about wealth tax on super-rich

A majority of voters support introducing taxes on the wealth of the super-rich, new polling has shown.

The survey by Survation shared with the Mirror found over half of people - 57% - agree with the policy as pressure builds on Rachel Reeves. Commissioned by the think-tank Compass, just 19% of the 1,095 people polled disagreed.

The group said the figures show the "tide is rapidly shifting on the issue" of taxes on wealth. It comes as Chancellor Ms Reeves faces warnings from experts she will need to hike taxes at the autumn Budget to a £40billion black hole in the public finances. Last week the former Labour leader Neil Kinnock told The Sunday Mirror a tax on the assets of the super-rich could help fund a massive reduction in child poverty.

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The Survation survey found 27% "strongly agree" and 30% "somewhat agree" with the idea of the government introducing taxes on the wealth of the richest people in society. Just 9% said they "strongly disagree" and 10% said "somewhat disagree".

A further 21% said they neither agreed or disagreed with the idea. Previous polls have also found support for a wealth tax, which campaigners say could include a 2% levy over assets of £10million to raise billions.

Luke Hurst, Political Affairs and Organising Officer at Compass, said: "This polling lays bare that there is broad public support for tackling wealth inequality and pursuing a tax-reforming economic strategy with equality and fairness at its heart. Grotesque concentrations of wealth continue to grow in the hands of a select few in the UK.

"Ordinary people can see this and have had enough of being told that there’s no money to fund the services we all depend on." And he warned the government would fail in its mission to usher in a "decade of national renewal" if it ignores growing calls for taxing wealth.

The left-wing Labour MP Jon Trickett added: "Whilst many parts of the country are suffering from lack of investment, the richest are pocketing millions. It's time they were required to share a part of their wealth in the form of a Wealth Tax. It's basic common sense and justice. And it's what middle of the road want, as shown in the poll".

It follows recent data from HM Revenue & Customs showing the number of non-doms leaving the UK was in line with or below official forecasts, despite claims that Labour’s tax reforms would lead to an exodus. Labour abolished "non-dom" status, ending a UK resident using permanent home or domicile being outside of the UK for tax purposes.

Paolo Fresia, member of Patriotic Millionaires UK, said: “It comes as no surprise to us that the hysteria whipped up by the wealth protection industry was nothing more than hot air. Wealthy people are not fleeing the country, these are just overblown stories designed to keep the status quo.

"Tax breaks are not the reason many non-doms like me opted to build their lives in the UK, and changes to that system are not a reason for us to leave. It’s time we ignored the scare tactics and got on with taxing the super-rich once and for all.”

Ms Reeves argued earlier this month the government has already "got the balance right in terms of how we tax those with the broadest shoulders". Asked about a wealth tax, she replied: “In the Budget last year we got rid of the non-domiciled status in our tax system.

"So people who make Britain their home have to pay their taxes here. We introduced increased taxes on private jets, on second homes and increased capital gains tax. So I think we've got the balance right in terms of how we tax those with the broadest shoulders. But any further decisions will be ones that are made at a Budget in the normal way.”

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