Friday 17 September 2010

A little more Uppal for your delectation

I mentioned a while ago that Uppal is chair of the All Party Urban Development Group, which seems to see itself as the voice of property developers rather than advocates of sane and balanced town planning.


I asked Mr Uppal what his business interests were - he declined to tell me, so I look forward to the Register of Members' Interests. 


But he has been talking to an industry rag, and he's spilled some beans:



Uppal, who owns £10m of property in the south-east with Pinehurst Securities, says he went for the British Property Federation role because he understands the politics of property.
That's funny. I thought a Parliamentary Group was meant to communicate the views of constituents and experts, not shill for the industry. 

How's he going to save the economy?


He also wants to wage war on empty rates:
“It is a national problem. It has done huge damage, and it’s urgent this is turned around.”

He's going to abolish taxes on people/corporations who've left property empty. The utter, utter, Tory Scum.

the All Party Urban Development Group, which has been lent administrative support by the British Property Foundation and informs government about the role of property in the wider economy.

Ah. I see now. It is a fully-bribed mouthpiece for property developers. Of which Uppal is one.

The arrogance with which Property Week describes a Parliamentary position as 'the British Property Federation role' is breathtaking - they won't be open to alternative ideas.  Well done sir. God helps those who help themselves. Nice to see you're not bothered about investing in your constituency, by the way. 

Not sure what 'the role of property in the wider economy' means. It sure as hell won't be pointing out that the headlong rush for property ownership has beggared us all and frozen the young and poor out of home ownership for generations.

Oh yes: and for all this talk of £10 million, his company appears to be in some trouble, if this is it, and I think it is, with its local address.

Top work, Uppal.

2 comments:

neal said...

There are an incredible 650,000 empty homes in England

http://www.emptyhomes.com/usefulresources/stats/2009breakdown.htm

These really need to be brought back into use in order to ease the shortage.

Rather than let the owners off paying less tax council powers to enforce compulsory purchase need to be beefed up an get these properties converted into council homes.

The Plashing Vole said...

Astonishing, isn't it? His answer to fixing the economy is to let a load of landlords off the taxes they owe for owning property. What a dumbass. I'm with you!