Tax and Spend

Yes, the tax burden is higher than it was in 1997. But it would be higher still under Cameron and Osborne, who are not only committed to matching the present Government penny for penny, but have also promised substantial increases in military spending.

Overall, that adds up to higher spending. In other words, higher tax from the start, or higher borrowing leading to higher tax in order to service the debt, or both.

Compared to that, Brown and Darling are fiscal conservatives. But we are even more so.