Burnham-On-Sea MP Ashley Fox has criticised the Government’s economic strategy during a debate in Parliament, warning that current policies are “making Britain less competitive” and have coincided with rising unemployment every month since the General Election.
Speaking during a debate on Stamp Duty Land Tax, Ashley said that while MPs across the political spectrum aim to improve lives, the key difference lies in how that goal is achieved.
“I believe we do so by working with the grain of human nature, by allowing people the maximum amount of liberty to live their lives, by supporting families, by rewarding hard work rather than penalising it, and by incentivising entrepreneurship and the creation of wealth,” he told fellow MPs.
He described stamp duty as “a bad tax” that places an unnecessary burden on people at a pivotal moment in their lives.
He argued that removing it from main homes would make home ownership more accessible, free up the housing market, and boost local economies — including in towns like Burnham-On-Sea.
Ashley also took aim at the Government’s broader economic approach, saying: “It saddens me that we have a Government whose answer, whatever the question, always seems to be more public expenditure.”
“The Government have turned on the spending taps and levied record levels of tax, while at the same time implementing measures that increase unemployment and make Britain less competitive.”
He concluded by reaffirming the Tories’ commitment to rewarding effort and restoring economic discipline. “By pledging to remove Stamp Duty, we are signalling that we believe in growth, in enterprise and in enabling every citizen to build their future,” he said.
