Have we been duped by Con-Dems? - Marc Da-Silva

First-time buyers and much of the housing industry would condemn the government if it failed to permanently raise the stamp duty threshold to £250,000 for first-time buyers, in accordance with the Tory manifesto.

Despite pledging to permanently raise the stamp duty threshold to £250,000 for first-time buyers, the new coalition government, led by the conservatives, has announced that it will appraise the merits of raising the stamp duty threshold for first time buyers, rather than provided the immediate help that is necessary.

In a document published outlining the new government's policies, the coalition said that it would ‘review the effectiveness of the raising of the stamp duty threshold for first-time buyers.'

Around 90% of all homes purchased by first-time buyers in this country are priced at £250,000 or under, saving them up to £2,500 on stamp duty. This is a significant saving, given that the deposits required to access some of the best mortgage deals on the market are now so much higher.

Housing minister Grant Shapps has made numerous press appearances today boasting about the government's popular decision to scarp Homes information Packs, but he has been canny not to talk about his party's proposal to raise the stamp duty threshold to £250,000 for first-time buyers.

A U-turn decision now would lead to widespread ConDemNation.