Keir Starmer under fire for NOT saying landlords are “working people”

Keir Starmer under fire for NOT saying landlords are “working people”

10:26 AM, 25th October 2024, About 4 weeks ago 37

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The Prime Minister has slammed landlords by not confirming they are “working people”.

In an interview with Sky News, Keir Starmer struggled to define a “working person” but says people who earn income through property or shares are not working people.

The issue is important because the Labour election manifesto promised not to raise taxes for working people – which means landlords should prepare for a tax hit in next week’s Budget.

Mr Starmer’s comments come as a cabinet minister also refused to say six times on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme whether landlords are working people.

The NRLA have hit back at the Prime Minister’s comments, describing them as stoking misconceptions about landlords.

Wouldn’t come under my definition

When asked to define a working person Mr Starmer said: “A working person is somebody who goes out and earns their living, usually paid in a sort of monthly cheque.

“People who go out and work hard and maybe save a bit of money but can not write a cheque to get out of difficulties.”

Beth Rigby on Sky News, slammed the Prime Minister for his broad definition of working people and pressed on whether his definition of a “working person” includes those who earn part or all of their income from property or shares.

Mr Starmer said: “Well, they wouldn’t come within my definition.”

The Prime Minister then refused to rule out a tax rise for landlords in the upcoming budget.

According to the Daily Mail, Downing Street later tried to calm the storm following the Prime Minister’s remarks, insisting that individuals who hold a small amount of savings in stocks and shares still qualify as ‘working.’

The PM’s official spokesman stated that Mr Starmer was referring to Britons who primarily earn their income from assets.

NRLA reaction

According to the government’s most recent English Private Landlords Survey in 2021, 30% of landlords were employed full-time and 10% part-time.

Ben Beadle, chief executive of the National Residential Landlords Association, said: “It is simply not true that landlords are not working people.

“Official data shows that 30% of landlords are employed full-time, with a further 10% working part-time. 28% are self-employed in some way, while 35% are retired and are likely to rely on their rental income for their pension.

“Rather than stoking misconceptions, the government needs to focus instead on the key challenge in the rental market, namely a lack of homes to rent to meet ever-growing demand.”

Refused six times

Mr Starmer’s comments come as a cabinet minister refused six times to say whether a landlord is a working person.

Nick Robinson on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme asked Treasury Minister James Murray whether people who earn money from assets – such as landlords – are ‘working people’

Mr Murray simply said: “Our manifesto said we would protect working people by not raising income tax, national insurance or VAT and we will keep that promise.”

The interview with Sky News can be seen below at 6:00


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Mick Roberts

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14:56 PM, 25th October 2024, About 4 weeks ago

Does @Keir_Starmer The Labour Party Not think tenants are paying enough already? And he may want to tax landlords more? Please remember tenants rent pays for EVERYTHING. You MP's make 1000's more homeless every time u talk like this. Office 4am, finish 6pm is not working ?

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/mick-roberts-landlord-436280ab_sir-keir-starmer-says-those-with-are-assets-activity-7255573928260112385-dDTi?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

Elizabeth Hill

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17:21 PM, 25th October 2024, About 4 weeks ago

There is a massive amount of administrative work that forms a significant part of a landlord's job:

Advertising properties.
Taking phone calls/dealing with enquiries. Shortlisting applicants.
Checking their documents including right to rent.
Referencing and credit checks.
Conducting viewings.
Issuing legal paperwork such as tenancy agreements, deposit protection paperwork etc.
Arranging regular gas safety and EICR checks.
Undertaking periodic inspections.
Arranging repairs and boiler servicing.
Carrying out general maintenance.
Staying on top of ever changing legislation (a full time job in itself!).
Being on call for emergencies 24/7.

The above barely scratches the surface!

Is he therefore saying that all those currently operating in a predominantly administrative role are therefore not considered to be 'working' either for their pay?
The fact he assumes we don't 'work' for our money yet is happy to tax us to the hilt for the privilege is quite frankly an insult and is yet another reason that justifies why I'm selling up and getting out - good luck to all those bankrupt councils trying to find enough houses for the tsunami of evicted PRS tenants heading their way.....

PH

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18:35 PM, 25th October 2024, About 4 weeks ago

Reply to the comment left by Luke P at 25/10/2024 - 12:40
Fully expecting NI deducted from my 'non-working' pay . So granny harmer....am I working or not working class ? If I'm not working class how can I be charged NI ?

Neil P

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18:59 PM, 25th October 2024, About 4 weeks ago

Ben Beadle: “Official data shows that 30% of landlords are employed full-time, with a further 10% working part-time. 28% are self-employed in some way, while 35% are retired”

That’s 103%?! And this guy represents the face of the PRS. 🤡

Slooky

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9:14 AM, 26th October 2024, About 4 weeks ago

I don't know what type of people voted Labour and I will never understand how someone can vote for a party just for the sake of change especially when that Party did not have a clear manifesto. However if anyone had taken time to read any of their papers published years prior to the election the writing was on the wall. Basically if you use money to make money, or use property to make money Labour thinks this is unfair and will target you. They believe Landlords and investors do not sweat and toil to earn their money. This is probably based on their own experience not ours.

David100

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9:47 AM, 26th October 2024, About 4 weeks ago

So if I was to manage a hedge fund, on a salary earning £2 million a year, I am a "working person" but if I am a landlord who manages his own properties, is on call, do all my own accounts, cleans, redecorates and refurbishes the properties between tenants with £20k profit a year............am NOT a "working person" ?

Slooky

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10:42 AM, 26th October 2024, About 4 weeks ago

Reply to the comment left by David100 at 26/10/2024 - 09:47
Yes that's interesting. The hedge fund manager is making money by investing money even though it's not his. But by Starmer's definition he's not a worker anyway because he earns a lot of money. So he therefore falls into the band of people he wants to penalise.

BobG

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12:02 PM, 26th October 2024, About 4 weeks ago

Great discussion.
I looked after 5000 properties for a Housing Association followed by Director of Estates for a large organization looking after £50 mill of property with over 150 staff. I have also carried out large building contracts both in the UK and overseas mainly in the far east. While working I built up a good sized Buy to Let portfolio which I now look after full time. I am working just as hard now as I did in any of my previous positions and I have added issues such as new HMRC tax rules, new legislation, increased interest rates and mortgage fees, EPC changes, selective licensing, HMO regulations, mini and full refurbishments, auction viewings and bidding etc.
I have worked all my life and continue to do so and value trades people and RICS Surveyors and CIOB Construction Managers.
Even though an intelligent man Kier Starmer does not understand what is involved in property investment and management.

TC

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16:04 PM, 26th October 2024, About 4 weeks ago

Furious with this stupid, ill informed comment - such a great way to alienate a bunch of people who DO NOT always 'write a cheque to get out of trouble' but have to factor in ever increasing risk and ever decreasing reward. Who make genuine business provision for their own setbacks, sick days and pensions like anyone who is self employed. Who sometimes lie awake at night and have moral dilemmas as well as practical ones. Sometimes our type even volunteer, try to professionally develop, give to charity and smile at small children. Given the stereotyping, who would have thought we could be so human?

Frank William Milligan URQUHART

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17:16 PM, 26th October 2024, About 4 weeks ago

Well... going by his definition, politicians are not working class, and neither was his previous job as a lawyer. So I guess Starmer has never worked in his entire life. What a grifter!

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