It is small wonder that Treasury officials are unhappy about Conservative claims about Labour tax rises being attributed to them. The civil service is supposed to be neutral, and be seen to be neutral. James Bowler, permanent secretary at the Treasury, who wrote to the Labour party expressing concern that certain figures are being attributed to his officials, will almost certainly find himself having to work with a Labour government in a few weeks’ time.
There is one figure at the heart of the Conservative analysis of Labour’s tax and spending plans which really should be causing concern
What the Conservatives have done in making the claim that Labour will saddle households with an extra £2,000 in tax rises might be described as sharp practice. They have tricked Treasury officials by asking them to cost certain policies without telling them that the Prime Minister intended to quote them in order to try to undermine Labour’s fiscal policy in an election debate.
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