Chris Huhne would escape Lib-Dem mansion tax despite owning eight homes

Disgraced former Cabinet minister Chris Huhne would escape the mansion tax being backed by fellow Liberal Democrats and Labour MPs, despite amassing a property empire worth millions, it emerged today.

The former energy secretary owns a portfolio of eight flats and houses — but all are worth less than the £2 million threshold at which the tax would bite.

Today Boris Johnson launched a fightback against the idea, saying it would let many wealthy people off while unfairly penalising thousands of Londoners. “What about someone who owns several houses, all of them worth £1.9 million,” demanded Mr Johnson, writing in the Daily Telegraph.

“Why should he or she pay nothing, while someone who owns just one pricey home gets totally clobbered? What about someone who lives in a home worth a million but happens to have a load of Van Goghs and Cezannes on his kitchen wall, or gold bars under his bed?

“Why should he get away with paying nothing while the taxman pulverises the little old lady still living in the former family home next door?”

Mr Huhne, who has pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice to try to avoid points on his licence for speeding, paid £1.3 million for a new home in east London with his partner, Carina Trimingham.

He has a string of other property investments, including two flats in Highbury, a house and a flat in Oxford, and a share in a house in Languedoc, southern France. At one point he was reported to have received an estimated £80,000 a year in income from rented properties.

Last week, Labour leader Ed Miliband said his party would back a mansion tax to fund a 10p starter rate of income tax.

Business Secretary Vince Cable dramatically declared yesterday that the Lib-Dems may join Labour in voting for the tax.

Mr Cable also rejected calls by Liberal Democrat policy makers to extend the tax to holiday homes, buy-to-let properties and other possessions such as jewellery and paintings.

London’s Mayor would himself have to pay a Mansion Tax if it comes in. According to the Land Registry he paid £2.3 million for his family home four years ago.