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Labour MP Stephen Pound has called upon the Metropolitcan Police to investigate a letter from high-end estate agency Knight Frank as it may be in breach of electoral law.

Estate Agent Today last week reported that another Labour MP, shadow justice minister Sadiq Khan, had strongly objected to the letter, which was distributed to residents in a marginal parliamentary seat in Wandsworth, south London.

The letter did not explicitly urge voters not to support Labour - the main party advocating a mansion tax - but instead it says:

Ahead of the General Election on 7th May, you will no doubt be considering the implications of the result on your investments and assets. For those with a stake in the upper end of the housing market, the threat of a potential Mansion Tax is one obvious area of focus. We felt you would be interested in this particular issue and the attached insights from our Global Head of Research Liam Bailey.

The report goes on to say: [The] election result will determine the potential for the introduction of a Mansion Tax, or a variant. Anything other than a Labour majority government (current odds 8/1), a Labour/Liberal Democrat coalition (17/2) or a Labour/SNP coalition (6/1) is unlikely to lead to its introduction. The current odds on a Conservative majority are 5/1.

Now the Daily Telegraph says Stephen Pound regards the leaflets as constituting a breach of the Representation of the People Act which governs party political activity at election time as well as policies or issues closely associated with a particular party. The act governs the spending which can be committed to or against a candidate or party.

Knight Frank has denied any wrongdoing.

Comments

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    Anyone remember the terrible Je suis Charlie incident Defending freedom of speech is fine unless its Knight Frank criticising Labour

    • 24 March 2015 16:32 PM
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    I wouldn't normally vote Labour but the mansion tax is very appealing. Both Lib Dems and Labour support the idea, houses are to live in not speculative assets. Something has to be done, the housing bubble now is far bigger than the 2007 yet wages in real terms are lower.

    I wonder how much money laundering is done through Knight Frank properties

    • 23 March 2015 18:41 PM
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    "a breach of the Representation of the People Act which governs party political activity at election time as well as policies or issues closely associated with a particular party. "

    So we're not allowed to discuss parties and policies. Isn't that a little anti-democratic..

    • 23 March 2015 12:42 PM
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    So... they threaten to call the cops the moment someone opposes their policies and what is illegal about that exactly If I'm not mistaken poking holes in other man's policies is all that MPs do...!

    • 23 March 2015 09:51 AM
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    Or maybe, you know, Knight Frank haven't played by the rules and should be called out for it

    • 23 March 2015 09:47 AM
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    If Mr Pound believes his party's Mansion Tax policy is correct and popular, he shouldn't be worried. That he is worried shows his concern about that policy and he should perhaps look at why his party continues to be the party of envy.

    • 23 March 2015 09:26 AM
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