Conservative candidate Ewan Cameron has pledged to fight Labour's High Value Council Tax Surcharge "every step of the way" in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election, describing the policy as a "spiteful tax" on homeowners.
Cameron's local record
Cameron, who serves as Vice-Chair of Licensing on Camden Council, highlighted his role in master-planning King's Cross, which he said turned "a toxic industrial wasteland into a model of urban renewal." He also pointed to the area's attractions, including Nash's terraces, Regent's Park and the Canal, as well as its rail links to the North, the Knowledge Quarter and two world-leading universities.
He criticised Labour's record in the constituency, noting that the party holds "every lever of power" locally, with the last MP being the Prime Minister, Labour running Camden Council and Labour running City Hall. He claimed families have been priced out of the community, school rolls are falling and primary schools are closing.
Tax pledges
Cameron said Labour's High Value Council Tax Surcharge, set to add thousands of pounds a year on top of Council Tax from April 2028, is a "spiteful tax on people who have worked hard to buy their own home." He vowed the Conservatives will abolish it and that he will fight it "every step of the way" if elected.
He also pledged to vote to abolish Stamp Duty, saying "there is no greater Conservative principle than home ownership." He promised to support measures for safer streets and back Kemi Badenoch's commitment to recruit 10,000 more police, adding that streets belong to those who obey the law, not to bag-snatchers, brazen shoplifters and illegal e-scooter riders.
Energy and business rates
Cameron said he would vote for tax cuts, including cutting levies on electricity bills, supporting more nuclear power and opposing Labour's "evangelical faith in wind and solar." He also pledged to fight Labour's "tax on jobs" and vote to scrap business rates on shops, pubs and hospitality.
The by-election takes place on Thursday, October 8. Cameron urged voters to "stick with a party that has taken you for granted, or elect a local champion who will turn up, speak up and stand up for you."
