Headline: Tories unveil blueprint for big cuts in taxation
Key quotation: “David Cameron is to woo middle-class voters at the next General Election with promises to reduce the tax burden on the individual – but hit car and air travel through "green" levies… Shadow Chancellor George Osborne risked inflaming Right-wing traditionalists by warning that the pledges could be paid for only with increases in environmental taxation. He said the Conservative manifesto could not offer an "up-front" reduction in the overall tax burden.”
Headline: Thumbs-up for Tory tax axe
Key quotation: “Radical Tory plans to cut taxes and slash red tape won massive backing last night. Senior MP John Redwood was hailed for outlining a raft of measures to win over hard-pressed voters… Shadow Chancellor George Osborne hailed the report as “impressive and comprehensive”. He pledged to look “very carefully” at the blueprint — but warned that any tax cuts would have to be offset. Mr Osborne said: “Any reductions in specific taxes will have to be balanced by higher taxes elsewhere — most notably green taxes. We are not going to be able to offer an overall reduction in tax at the General Election.””
Headline: We’ll pay for any cuts in taxes by imposing green levies, say Tories
Key quotation: “After a week in which the party high-lighted a policy group report calling for massive reductions in the burden of tax regulation and the abolition of inheritance tax, George Osborne, the Shadow Chancellor, dampened expectations by saying that the party would not be offering overall reductions in taxation. Any tax cuts that were identified would be balanced by tax increases elsewhere, such as green levies, he told a City press conference.”
Headline: Osborne rebuffs Redwood’s plans for tax cuts
Key quotation: “Mr Osborne made it clear there would be no overall
reduction in taxation under a Tory government and warned that a
forthcoming Tory "Quality of Life" report on the environment, led by
Zac Goldsmith, will propose a range of compensatory green taxes.”
Headline: Tories fight ‘toxic’ mix of tax and red tape
Key quotation: “After a week of pre-publicity, John Redwood, a
Thatcherite outrider in David Cameron’s team, unveiled a sweeping
package, from reduced mortgage and labour market controls to traffic
light rules that would allow cars to turn left on a red.
Significantly, he also threw the Tory right’s weight against the
"lethal and toxic" mix of Brownite taxes and regulations. But George
Osborne, the shadow chancellor and party leader, marked the unveiling
of the report with a strong note of caution. The Tories would not fight
the next election on the promise of an "upfront tax cut".”
Headline: Tories plan green taxes to replace death duty
Key quotation: “A raft of "green taxes" will have to be imposed to pay
for abolishing death duties, the Conservatives said yesterday. George
Osborne, the shadow chancellor, confirmed yesterday that inheritance
tax could be scrapped or reduced by an incoming Conservative
government. The Tories also hinted at other potential tax cuts for
"Middle England" voters, in line with a policy review arguing that high
taxes were holding back Britain’s economy. Mr Osborne made clear that
cutting or reducing inheritance tax would have to be offset by "higher
taxes elsewhere, most notably green taxes."
Headline: Tories plan tax cuts to woo voters
Key quotation: “The Tories will shortly issue plans to raise green
taxes and to fund cuts to inheritance and income taxes designed to woo
floating voters at the next election, said George Osborne, the shadow
chancellor, on Friday.”
On today’s Platform Matthew Sinclair welcomes the Redwood report and hopes that the Tories will embrace it.