Will a domain 301 redirect transfer a backlink penalty?

[pbaddock]

I have a website that was promoted by an SEO affiliate partner using over aggressive techniques (massive inbound link distribution in website templates). I am going to start again as my ranks are in the toilet and despite numerous attempts can't recover. (it was a -50 or there abouts - consistent - all keywords)

Should I 301 the old domain ie will the penalty carry over or am i safe to do that and G will work out that I'm starting afresh and not penalise me on the new domain?

[tedster]

This topic has come up every so often, and the reviews are mixed. Some people have found that the penalty does not transfer, others report that it does. The devil must be in the exact details of the penalty, site history, and so on.

Here's one discussion from about a year ago: [webmasterworld.com...]