Sort order. Start your review of Who Owns Britain. Dec 11, Judith Johnson rated it it was amazing. It was published by Canongate in and is now out of print. I didn't have the funds to shell out for the cheapest second-hand copy advertised on Amazon, but fortunately Kent Libraries had a copy. It duly arrived, obviously much-handled, and much annotated in the margins. When, after three weeks, I went online to extend my borrowing p I first came across mention of Kevin Cahill's book Who Owns Britain when I was reading George Monbiot's Feral, and I made a mental note then to read it sometime.
When, after three weeks, I went online to extend my borrowing period, I was informed I couldn't do so as another reader was waiting for it. Luckily I'm a fast reader, so I mashed my way through the last third of the book in a few fevered reading sessions!
The land-owning records, once available in every parish, were abolished. I own I have not fully digested every fact this book presents, but I was deeply impressed by its main message, which is that large amounts of the land in Britain are not properly registered.
This impacts on the availability and, crucially, the cost of, land for development. When Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries, he freed up around 10 million acres of England alone to distribute to his followers - a group of about families.
The incomes from the old church lands put huge wealth at the barons' disposal. The industrial revolution was paralleled by the enclosures, the legal device used to include common land into landed estates, thus excluding the peasantry who had lived off the common land, and increasing the labour supply to the factories.
It is a truism of conventional British history that the landowners were the dominant force in British politics right up to World War Two Since the late 19th century, all formal tax on land has been abolished, and the specific taxes which have been substituted have placed the larger burden of taxes on the smallest landowners, domestic homeowners, while removing it altogether on the largest landowners.
They pay no tax on that asset. Those closest to and most likely to have real influence with the Queen are almost all hereditary aristocrats the book gives details of the lands owned by these and the Royal Family and landowners These are people distinguished from the rest of the population by owning the vast bulk of the land on which the population at large depends for homes, and, to a lesser extent, food. Since , as part of the general and undisclosed settlement made between the Queen and the government in relation to tax, Prince Charles has paid normal tax rates, but his private company, The Duchy of Cornwall, pays no capital gains and no corporation tax.
The Duchy of Lancaster created in is a very large landed estate, mostly based in the north of England with some land in London. The Queen, who is also Duke of Lancaster, receives the revenues from this estate tax free. It now runs to almost 47, land-based acres, but taken with its estuarial waters and riverbeds of , acres, it actually comprises close on , acres. The Duchy pays no tax on anything.
Professor Cannadine in The Decline and Fall of the British Aristocracy, wrote of the late 19th century: 'the contemporary cult of the country house depicts the old land-owning classes as elegant, exquisite patrons of the arts, living lives of tasteful ease in beautiful surroundings. Of course, there is some truth in this. But as a representation of the totality of patrician existence, it misleads and distorts, by failing to recognise them for what they really were: a tough, tenacious and resourceful elite, who loved money, loved power and loved the good life'.
I look forward to reading it. View 1 comment. Paul rated it liked it Oct 26, Eoghan Rua rated it really liked it Aug 03, Dhruv rated it it was amazing Jul 16, Add to cart. Reviews: Trustpilot. Summary A startling piece of research, and a searing critique of both the landowning aristocracy and the Land Registry, Who Owns Britain is an eye-opening examination of the nation's most valuable asset - its land.
A startling piece of research, and a searing critique of both the landowning aristocracy and the Land Registry, Who Owns Britain is an eye-opening examination of the nation's most valuable asset - its land. Cahill argues convincingly that our present system of landownership is of material detriment to the vast majority of homeowners in the UK, while many of the wealthiest landowners in the country pay no rates and actually receive money in the form of grants and subsidies.
Who Owns Britain is relevant to every resident in the UK. It is a vital piece of investigation that should lead to a closer examination of our land laws and regulations. Whatever your politics, it will make you hair curl. Kevin Cahill is a former army officer who has worked at both Westminster and European parliaments as an advisor and researcher.
He is the author of books on business, trade and politics and helped produce the Sunday Times Rich List, as well as being a widely published investigative journalist. Sku GOR New comments are only accepted for 3 days from the date of publication. Subscriber Only. What should any one of us be expected to do to avert climate catastrophe? Short stories. Funeral, a new short story by Robert Sheehan. Poetic justice, a new short story by Moya Roddy.
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