Homeowners face an Orwellian invasion of privacy as Labour deploys satellites to "spy" on high-value properties targeted by its punitive council tax surcharge, The Telegraph has reported.

The controversial move has sparked outrage, with critics slamming it as a "sinister" and "vicious" attack on wealth.

The Valuation Office Agency (VOA), a shadowy quango, will use aerial photography to help determine the value of the most expensive properties in England as part of the new council tax surcharge aimed at houses worth £2m or more.

The intrusive data will then be used to slap homeowners with yearly tax bills of up to a staggering £7,500 where a house's value exceeds £5m.

Wales used as 'test bed' for tax hikes

It has emerged that the VOA previously used similar tactics in Wales, buildin

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