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Channel 4 Doc Pushes Wealth Tax Amid Flat Gap

7/15/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Channel 4 aired the documentary “How to Get Filthy Rich” about Gary Stevenson’s wealth-tax campaign.
The film omits data showing Britain’s wealth gap has been flat and lower than many peers.
Stevenson’s supporters claim three-quarters of the public now back a wealth tax.
Analysts note the top 1 % hold just under 22 % of UK wealth, a share unchanged for two decades.

History

Historical Context

In 1975 Labour PM Harold Wilson and Chancellor Denis Healey proposed a 0.5 % wealth tax expected to raise £2.5 billion annually, but the Institute for Fiscal Studies warned it would affect only the top 1 % of owners. LSE research later noted the plan was abandoned over capital-flight concerns, mirroring the 1990s European shift that left Norway and Spain as the few remaining wealth-tax nations.

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Story summary

Channel 4 aired the documentary “How to Get Filthy Rich” about Gary Stevenson’s wealth-tax campaign.
The film omits data showing Britain’s wealth gap has been flat and lower than many peers.
Stevenson’s supporters claim three-quarters of the public now back a wealth tax.
Analysts note the top 1 % hold just under 22 % of UK wealth, a share unchanged for two decades.

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