'Very comfortable': Top trade unionist Roz Foyer defends calling for wealth tax while owning five properties

Roz Foyer, general secretary of the Scottish Trade Union Congress (STUC), has defended calling for a wealth tax to be introduced in the UK despite owning several properties herself.

The STUC said 30,000 children could be lifted out of poverty by the top ten richest families in Scotland alone if a wealth tax was introduced.

A tax of 2 per cent against those with assets worth more than £10 million could bring in £492m a year, according to STUC research. The report suggests this could recruit 11,600 newly-qualified teachers or 12,900 newly-qualified nurses.

However, Ms Foyer was forced to defend being “very comfortable” with promoting this idea while having several properties, during an interview with the BBC.

She said: “The property owned by my family is well used to accommodate family and friends. I have no problem with that and it is not hypocritical to have assets and think those with broader shoulders should pay more.

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“I think it means you are invested in having a fairer society, and I am very comfortable with that.”

When asked if she should sell some of these properties to increase the number available to others, Ms Foyer said: “I’m about to build a house to live in and at that point I will sell the house I live in now.

“These properties are predominantly occupied - yes, I have a holiday home, but that is occupied a lot. I don’t have any issues with that.

“We need to raise taxes and redistribute wealth so the government can build more affordable homes for people. I could sell those houses for others, but these houses are well used and well occupied.”