The Conservatives announce policies on Home Information Packs, stamp duty and inheritance tax as they gear up for an possible Autumn election

The Conservative Party has announced a series of policies affecting homeowners in its "fight back" against Gordon Brown.

George Osborne

At its annual party conference in Blackpool it has said it would axe Home Information Packs and end "garden grabbing" by developers by changing planning rules.

This morning the shadow chancellor George Osborne said a Conservative government would increase the threshold for inheritance tax from the current £300,000 to £1m.

He will also scrap stamp duty for first time buyers on homes up to £250,000. Osborne said: "We will be able to take nine out of 10 first time buyers out of stamp duty."

The cuts will be paid for with a fee charged on business people who register abroad for tax purposes.

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