Could cutting inheritance tax keep the Tories in power?

Is cutting, or abolishing, inheritance tax the key to keeping the Tories in power? Inheritance tax is certainly unpopular and is described by some voters as a ‘death tax’. Back in 2007, the Tories were in a similar predicament to the one they find themselves in now: they consistently trailed Labour in the polls. But that year, the party made a surprise announcement, pledging to raise the inheritance tax threshold. The Tories subsequently regained their lead and went on to win the next general election.

As the next election looms, and Labour continues to lead in the polls, Conservative MPs are feeling nervous. Some think that a major announcement to significantly cut, or even scrap, inheritance tax could be the solution. Numerous media reports say that the Conservative Growth Group, a caucus of 50 Conservative MPs, is calling for this ahead of the Autumn Budget. There is only one problem with this analysis.