Millionaire plumbing magnate Charlie Mullins OBE has launched a blistering attack on Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves, branding Labour's proposed property tax reforms as nothing short of "robbing hardworking Brits" to fund their political agenda.
The founder of Pimlico Plumbers, who built his empire from a van to a £100 million business, has emerged as a vocal critic of what he calls Labour's "raid" on aspirational homeowners and small business owners.
The Battle Over Britain's Property Landscape
At the heart of the controversy lies Labour's intention to reverse Conservative measures that raised the stamp duty threshold to £250,000 and the nil-rate band for inheritance tax to £1 million. Mullins, who himself benefited from selling his business, argues these changes would punish exactly the kind of entrepreneurial spirit Britain should be encouraging.
"This isn't about taxing the super-rich," Mullins stated emphatically. "This is about hammering the plumbers, the electricians, the small business owners who've worked seven days a week to own a nice home and provide for their families."
Reeves's Defence Meets Growing Backlash
Rachel Reeves has defended the proposed changes as necessary to fund Labour's priorities, including recruiting more teachers and doctors, while ensuring "those with the broadest shoulders bear the heaviest burden."
However, Mullins remains unconvinced: "She says she's targeting the wealthy, but she's really targeting aspiration itself. This isn't redistribution—it's confiscation."
A Symbol of Wider Business Concerns
The plumbing tycoon's outburst reflects broader anxiety within the business community about Labour's economic plans. Mullins, who previously supported Tony Blair's New Labour, represents exactly the kind of self-made success story that feels alienated by the current Labour leadership's approach to wealth creation.
"I started with nothing but a second-hand van," Mullins recounted. "Now they want to punish people who've done exactly what successive governments have asked us to do—work hard, create jobs, and build something for our children."
The Political Stakes Heighten
With the Conservatives seizing on Mullins's comments as evidence that Labour remains "anti-business," the debate has escalated beyond mere policy disagreement to a fundamental clash of economic philosophies.
As one government insider noted: "When someone like Charlie Mullins—who embodies the entrepreneurial spirit—accuses you of robbing hardworking people, it cuts through in a way political rhetoric simply doesn't."
The controversy sets the stage for a bitter battle over Britain's economic future, with property tax becoming the unlikely frontline in the war between aspiration and redistribution.
