Epping Forest MP Eleanor Laing has spoken of her fears that new proposals to charge high value homeowners extra taxes could see locals hit with thousands in bills.

The plans, announced yesterday, mean that anyone with a house worth over £1m could pay an extra £4,000 a year - with homeowners in the South-east hardest hit.

Epping Forest has the second highest number of houses sold for over £1m outside of London, a position it has held since 1995.

Mrs Laing pointed out that although house prices may have increased, many people's wages had not.

She said: "This Liberal Democrat plan is simply unfair. They have no idea what is going on in the real world.

"Many families here in Epping Forest live in houses they bought at modest prices decades ago. It is wrong to assume that, because your house has increased in value, you also have more disposable income.

"A normal four bedroomed house in Loughton or Chigwell or Theydon Bois would currently be valued at around a million pounds. We are not talking about the 'super rich' - just ordinary families.

"In the real world, people are struggling through the recession - and a responsible government should be trying to help families, not put them under extra financial pressure.

"All homes, whatever their value, would see their value tumble under this policy. A rise in negative equity would be also inevitable-this is simply irresponsible and despertately unfair.

"Nick Clegg has said that this new charge is 'not a big sacrifice' and a 'perfectly reasonable thing to ask of people'. This demonstrates how out of touch he is with real, normal people trying to ride out the stark realities of this recession.

"Conservatives would help people stay in their homes, rather than the other way round, by freezing council tax, scrapping stamp-duty for first time buyers while abolishing expensive and confusing mandatory Home Information packs.

"We all agree that we need more affordable housing in this area - but this crazy idea to squeeze more money out of ordinary families will do nothing to help anyone."