A clearer choice

Oct 3 2007 by Rob Merrick, Liverpool Daily Post

TO UNDERSTAND the scale of the Tory panic here in Blackpool, we need only look back to David Cameron’s last official visit to the seaside.

One year ago in Bournemouth, the Conservative leader repeated over and over that there would be “no unfunded, up-front tax cuts” on his watch.

At the time, Mr Cameron was ramming home the message that he was bravely facing down his right-wingers and marching onto the centre ground.

Twelve months on, with an election looming, mouthwatering – and poorly-funded – tax cuts are being tossed around like confetti in the Blackpool breeze.

Of course, the Conservatives insist all the goodies – on inheritance tax, stamp duty and families – are prudently matched by fresh revenue-raising, but no-one should be fooled.

On every measure, the money will flow out of the coffers of a Tory Treasury far faster than it will flow in.

Take yesterday’s wildly-cheered pledge to spend £3.1bn freeing the wealthy winners of the housing boom from paying Inheritance Tax on the proceeds.

The proposal to tax the non-domiciled uber-rich is very welcome and long overdue, but, if it offered such easy pickings, surely Gordon Brown would have done it years ago.

It is impossible to see how the Conservatives can recoup £3.1bn from the elusive non-doms – leaving Labour smelling blood and lining up those “Tory spending cuts” posters.

Similarly, the Tories are determined to offer tax breaks to encourage marriage – despite ditching many of the “green tax” proposals touted to fund them.

Ditto the plan to boost tax credits for couples by raising £3bn from cracking down on the 2.7m incapacity benefit claimants.

These are the long-term jobless – many in Merseyside – that Labour has spent a decade trying, and mostly failing, to get back into work. It simply cannot be done quickly.

What this week’s blitz of policy pledges shows is that Mr Cameron, staring election defeat in the face, has gambled all on going back to basics – tax cuts and more tax cuts.

Regardless of whether the sums add up, he is determined to put clear blue water between the main parties. If nothing else, it makes for a more interesting election – because it offers voters a clear choice.

THIS IS almost certainly our last visit to Blackpool, as the Tories join Labour in rejecting its ageing hotels in favour of Manchester – and, maybe, Liverpool.

No more batterings by Irish Sea storms and no more of those extraordinary slot machines, offering “crotchless knickers for just £1”.

My favourite Blackpool moment was when I unsuccessfully requested brown bread with my scrambled egg in the morning. “We just can’t get it,” the waitress explained.