'Abolishing stamp duty is key to a fairer, more aspirational society'

THE Scottish Conservatives last night called for the SNP to abolish its Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) after the party leader anounced her plans to scrap stamp duty in England and Wales.

- By Richard Elias and Steph Spyro

Kemi Badenoch made her announcement at the UK Conservative party conference in Manchester yesterday.

She said her party would seek to abolish stamp duty on primary residences in the rest of the UK.

Ms Badenoch claimed is was the best way to provide the “dream of home ownership” for millions of prospective buyers.

Reacting to the news, the Scottish Conservatives immediately said the SNP should make the same move in Scotland.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies has previously warned that stamp duty is the “most-economically damaging tax”.

It was replaced by LBBT north of the Border in April 2015.

However, it has its critics too as the levy charged at a higher rate than the equivalent down south.

Although the SNP boasts that there is no tax on lower priced homes, the majority of properties are now above the threshold with the average price being £221,000.

Last night, responding to Ms Badenoch, Scottish Conservatives’ housing spokeswoman Meghan Gallacher said: “Everyone who works hard in Scotland and Britain should have the opportunity to own their own home. We are calling