WORCESTER'S MP has stuck his neck out as an unlikely supporter of a "mansion tax" - as long as it is restricted to foreigners with expensive London pads.

Your Worcester News can reveal how Robin Walker has already penned a letter to Chancellor George Osborne arguing how a yearly tax on multi-million pound properties is a "good way" to raise funds.

But he says unlike the suggestion from the Labour Party at its conference this week, he wants it levied only on people in the capital who own £2 million-plus homes as an investment from overseas.

Labour leader Ed Miliband believes a yearly tax on all homes worth more than £2 million could raise £1.2 billion to be poured into the NHS.

There are believed to be at least 58,500 properties across the country worth that amount, but none in Worcester and only a tiny handful in the whole of Worcestershire.

This week estate agents and Tory MPs have criticised the tax, saying it is too complex to ever work.

Mr Walker said: "I know a great number of my party colleagues are opposed to it, but I am not completely against the idea.

"I actually did write to George Osborne to say we should look at this specifically for London, as long as it was restricted to people who are not pensioners and pay no income tax.

"Otherwise you could have an elderly widow with no income, who suddenly gets hit with a yearly bill, I don't think that's a nice or fair way to treat people.

"But potentially, if used correctly it would be a good way to raise money from overseas investors who are not pensioners or UK taxpayers.

"If we can target just those people, it could work - the London property market is crazily overcooked.

"That's where I can't agree with Labour though as it wouldn't raise as much money as they think."

Mr Walker's letter to the Chancellor came after the idea was first raised by the Liberal Democrats around three years ago.

Labour's suggestion, made by Ed Balls, has already come under criticism for lacking detail.

Labour say it would apply yearly at a levy of one per cent on the additional value of homes above £2 million.

So for example, a homeowner with a property valued at £2.6 million would pay a £6,000 tax.

But it has not yet made clear how the party would assess the worth of these luxury homes in Government, especially as the last set of council tax bands go back to 1991.

There are also disagreements around the exact number of properties worth more than £2 million today, with different research organisations putting it anywhere from 58,000 to 108,000 and estate agents endorsing various figures in between.

Councillor Joy Squires, Worcester's Labour parliamentary candidate, said: "If it's about building a fairer society, where those with more have to give more so we all benefit from a better health service, I'm happy with it."

A spokesman for West Midlands Labour Party said: "This policy will have little affect, if any, in Worcester - but what it will do is raise much-needed funds for the nation's most cherished institution, the NHS."