Seven times Boris promised low taxes

Boris Johnson’s speech in Blackpool today prompted much dry commentary from the assembled press pack. With its talk of low taxes and prudent government, it’s no surprise that many of the journalists were left asking ‘Who’s the new guy?’ and ‘If only he had been Prime Minister these past two years.’ Johnson talked a good game, as usual, telling his audience that:

The overall burden of taxation is now very high – and sooner or later, and I would much rather it was sooner than later, that burden must come down. The answer is economic growth. You can’t spend your way out of inflation, and you can’t tax your way into growth.

Sound stuff of course but we’ve been here before. As Steerpike’s friend Kate Andrews points out elsewhere on Coffee House: ‘After nearly three years in No. 10, every speech that promises a smaller state becomes harder to believe, as there has, so far, been very little attempt to deliver this.’