CARLISLE'S MP has backed plans to replace Council Tax and Stamp Duty with a proportional property tax.

John Stevenson has spoken out after new research claims 96 per cent of households in Cumbria would be better off every year, if the new tax was introduced.
A campaign group claims that property owners across Cumbria could save £650 on average per year.
In Mr Stevenson's constituency however it rises to £700.
Mr Stevenson said: “Our tax system has, over the last 30 years, become too complicated and full of red tape. 
"It needs a fundamental overhaul. 
"I would encourage the chancellor to be a reforming chancellor and look at ways to improve the tax system through simplification, but also addressing areas of unfairness. 
"The proposals around reforms to council tax and stamp duty are very welcome and ones which I would support.”
Simon Fell, MP for Barrow & Furness has also backed the changes, saying: “Our tax system is outdated, penalising communities like ours, and now is the time to be bold and look at it afresh – placing fairness at its heart.”
The idea is being proposed by campaign group Fairer Share, who commissioned research on the topic. 
Its analysis suggests 19m households in England would see a reduction in tax - on average, households would pay £435 less property tax a year.
It also claims the new system, set at a rate of 0.48 per cent of a property’s value, would bring in the same revenue as the present system. 
It further claims it would be fairer because it would levy the tax on current valuations, and not council tax bands based on 1991 property values.