With the Conservative Party pledging to scrap stamp duty if they win the next election, pressure is building for Labour to set out their own position.

The tax, which applies to property purchases over certain thresholds in England and Northern Ireland, has long been criticised for stifling housing market movement and punishing both first-time buyers and downsizers.

Some countries have already bitten the bullet – abolishing stamp duty entirely .

Here, The i Paper looks at who has done it and why.

New Zealand

New Zealand scrapped stamp duty in 1999 through the Stamp Duty Abolition Act. It was part of a wider effort to simplify taxation and cut the costs associated with moving home.

The country did not replace the duty with a similar tax . Instead, it relies more on ongoing char

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