Kemi Badenoch’s promise to abolish stamp duty was met with cheers by the Conservatives, but is it a good idea? We put two property experts head to head in this week’s Debate

YES: Stamp duty incentivises people to stay in unsuitable homes, reducing labour mobility

Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) is restricting mobility in the UK housing market. From first-time buyers to young families and downsizing pensioners, many are effectively trapped in their homes because SDLT costs can often exceed a year’s income, with consequences that extend far beyond individual households.

The housing market is a crucial enabler of labour mobility. When people can move freely, they take on new jobs, start families and grow businesses. SDLT actively disincentivises this. A 2017 study by the London School of Econo

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