The Toryies are busy rebutting Labour’s claim that there is a £34bn black hole in their tax and spending plans. The most striking thing is how strong the language Conservative sources are using is, Labour’s document was described to me as ‘a “dodgy dossier” full of lies’.
It is quite remarkable that Labour has the gall to criticise the other side for unfunded spending pledges and the headline Tory objections are fair enough. The document says the Tories would let married couples transfer their tax allowances, when they haven’t committed to that. It also claims that the Tories are pledged to abolishing the 50p rate before the end of the parliament which the Tories are not.
This is the first working day of an election year and so things were bound to heat up. But if the ‘l’ word is being used five months out from the most likely election date then one wonders what language they’ll be using come April.
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