1 min read
Polly Toynbee:Here in Blackpool, one drumbeat echoes through the halls - tax cuts, tax cuts, tax cuts. A poll of 1,500 activists by the ConservativeHome website found that 64% to 24% want to "spend less than Labour and spend more on tax cuts". Osborne and Cameron have heard it loud and clear with these highly symbolic giveaways. They talk gravely of fiscal responsibility, yet at the same time they let loose this cascade of cash at the top.
Valiantly, at a fringe meeting pumping with pressure for tax cuts, David Willetts reminded them that this policy was road-tested to destruction for three elections in a row. He made fun of the flat-taxers and their "sunny Californian Laffer curves", dismissing as fantasy that rightwing belief that cutting taxes brings in more revenue.
Lovely column, Polly. Just one problem: cutting taxes does bring in more revenue - at a certain level. Cut taxes to 0% and revenue falls dramatically. Put them up to 100% and revenue also goes ker chung. The point of the Laffer Curve is to show - is it a bit complicated for you, Polly? - that there is a point at which lower taxes does indeed bring in more money.
For Ms T, it seems, no level of taxes is too high, because none of us has a right to our own money. It's the state's to give back to us.
If the Tories are struggling to push above 34%, can I offer a cheap and cheerful solution? Plaster Ms Toynbee's columns on as many hoardings as possible, with the caption: This woman is Labour.
Should do the trick.