Commenting on Caroline Spelman's Times interview, during which she refused ...
Commenting on Caroline Spelman's Times interview, during which she refused
to rule out a return to the poll tax, Edward Davey, Liberal Democrat
local government spokesman, said: 'Michael Howard's Tory party is wedded to
the past if they think we should return to the poll tax.
'It's like Groundhog Day. They seem to have forgotten the mass poll tax
riots, and if in power, would be content to lead Britain down that path
again.
'When in government, the Tories wasted billions of pounds trying to make the
unfair poll tax work. Their rejection of a fair local income tax, used in
America and Europe, is nothing short of astonishing.
'Until now, the Conservatives have refused to tell voters their plans on
council tax. To hark back to the bad old days of poll tax shows this party
to be dangerously deluded about what constitutes a fair alternative to
council tax.'
Shadow secretary of state for local and devolved government affairs Caroline Spelman today issued the following statement: 'Following a report in today's Times, let me make it absolutely clear: We will not bring back the poll tax.'
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