Howard: Labour’s manifesto is ‘all talk’
Conservative leader Michael Howard has hit back at Labour’s manifesto launch branding it “more of the same” and predicting taxes would rise if Labour was returned to office.
Speaking just after Labour’s manifesto launch, the Conservative leader said that voters had the “power and the responsibility” to end Tony Blair’s tenure as Prime Minister.
In contrast to the Conservatives slim-line manifesto, Labour’s ran to 110 pages and contained detailed propositions on a range of policies.
But these were dismissed by Mr Howard, who said: “It’s no use making all these promises now – he’s had eight years. They’ve heard it all before. Everyone knows it’s never going to happen.”
Labour today ruled out any rises to the basic or top rate of income tax, but made no commitment on National Insurance.
But, Mr Howard refused to be drawn into promising that a Conservative government would not raise taxes.
Demurring when asked if the Conservatives would work to reduce the overall tax burden, Mr Howard admitted it was “perfectly true” that some would have liked to see greater tax commitments, but insisted that he had only promised what could be kept.
He also rejected suggestions that the Conservatives’ manifesto was a ‘Victor Meldrew’ affair, composed mainly of complaints, saying it responded to genuine concerns and was “in tune” with people’s priorities.
Mr Howard added that he felt the brevity of the Conservative manifesto would ensure people wanted to read it.
