Abolishing stamp duty on housing would be a bold step towards economic renewal. But don’t stop there, says Blake Stephenson

The Conservative Party’s announcement to abolish stamp duty on primary residences marks a pivotal moment in the debate over housing, aspiration and economic dynamism. For too long, stamp duty has acted as a brake on mobility, a barrier to ownership and a distortion in one of our most vital markets. Scrapping it is a signal that we are serious about unlocking opportunity and restoring fairness to Britain’s economic foundations.

Stamp duty land tax (SDLT) on homes is one of the most distortionary levies in our system. It penalises movement, traps families in unsuitable housing and suppresses transactions that would otherwise stimulate growth. And I have long thought it should be abolished. According to the Homeowners Alliance, over 800,000 households have shelved plans to move in recent years, citing stamp duty as a key factor. That’s not just lost economic activity – it’s lost potential, lost productivity and lost........

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