Why Ed Miliband’s bizarre mansion tax feud with Myleene Klass works in Labour’s favour

A former popstar's attack on the Labour leader's tax proposals could help him out.

(Photo By Myleene Klass clashed with Ed Miliband over the mansion tax. Photo: Getty)

Last night on ITV’s The Agenda, an intriguing new genre of the political panel format was invented: minor early-noughties celebrities scolding party leaders. Unsurprisingly, it went well with the internet, and soon articles popped up everywhere suggesting that Myleene Klass – star of stage and screen (Hear’Say and M&S adverts) – had “owned”, or gone “full Paxman” on, Ed Miliband over his proposal for a mansion tax.

Here’s what she had to say:

For me, it’s so disturbing – the name in its own right: ‘mansion tax’. Immediately you conjure up an image of these Barbie-esque houses, but in London, which is where 80 per cent of the people who will be paying this tax actually live, have you seen what that amount of money can get you? It’s like a garage.

When you do look at the people who will be suffering this tax, it’s true a lot of them are grannies who have had these houses in their families for a long, long time.

The people who are the super-super rich buying their houses for £140m, this is not necessarily going to affect them because they’ve got their tax rebates and amazing accountants. It’s going to be the little grannies who have lived in those houses for years and years.

For all her passion, and the fact that it is mordibly wonderful to watch one-time Popstars contestants having a go at nonplussed politicos, this row could work in Miliband’s favour.

Not only has Klass’ suggestion that £2m will only land you a “garage” in London received a great deal of mockery but the mansion tax is an undeniably popular policy. YouGov recently found that it is supported by 72 per cent of people. As well as this, a majority of people want more money spent on the NHS, which is what Miliband’s mansion tax would pay for. This row will do more to bring an already overwhelmingly popular policy proposal to the attention of voters than embarrass Miliband.