Hartlepool MP calls on Sir Keir Starmer to commit to council tax reform in Parliament
MP Jonathan Brash pressed the Prime Minister to commit to tackling unfairness of council tax by saying the system is “hammering” towns like Hartlepool.
Mr Brash raised the issue in Parliament with Sir Keir Starmer during the latest Prime Minister’s Questions.
The MP highlighted large regional differences under the current system saying the bill for a band D property in Westminster is £1,017 a year compared to £2,495 in Hartlepool.
And for houses in the highest value band H, he said the difference is almost £3,000.
Mr Brash said: “Council tax is the most regressive and unfair tax in this country. It has become a tax on deprivation.
"The less affluent an area the more you pay. The greater your need, the more you pay.
"It’s hammering people in towns like Hartlepool. Does the Prime Minister agree that this unfairness cannot continue, and will he commit to addressing this inequality once and for all?”
The Prime Minister blamed "mismanagement” of the previous Conservative government for leaving local councils “on their knees”.
He said Labour’s £69bn funding to councils and future multi-year settlements would give local authorities greater stability.
Mr Starmer also said an ongoing review of local authority funding “will create a fairer system”.
The Prime Minister thanked Mr Brash for raising the issue saying he had been a “dedicated campaigner” on council tax.
The MP has launched an All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Council Tax Reform and in February started a petition.
Mr Brash added: “I will never miss a chance to put pressure on the Government for changes to a system that punishes places like Hartlepool.
“For too long, Hartlepool has been forced to pay more and get less. The current system is broken and fundamentally unfair.
"I will keep fighting until Council Tax works for everyone – not just the wealthiest postcodes. I’m encouraged by Prime Minister’s commitment to creating a fairer system.
"I continue to fight for what Hartlepool deserves.”
He encouraged people who have not already done so to sign the petition, which will later be presented to the House of Commons, at his office at 206 York Road, Hartlepool.