Somehow, I managed to think the Tory conference finished tomorrow. When I was there last year as an observer it did finish on the Thursday. I did however leave on the Wednesday, a day early, simply because it was a dull gathering with nothing happening. They take no votes, debate no motions. It is really a gathering and rally of the Tory faithful. Seems as though they have taken a leaf out of my book by abandoning the final day this year!
Nevertheless, my predictions that Brown will attempt to steal the limelight turned out to be true, even if not quite in the way I expected.
So back to the Tories and their leader. What to expect from Cameron this afternoon? Watch out for more income tax cut promises. The Tories have already said that they will raise taxes on aircraft Well, they need to use that money somehow and my guess is they will make some kind of income tax cut proposal.
The Tories' tax calculations will however all be back of an envelope stuff. The same sort of approach came up with the ludicrous claim that 9 million families will benefit from their inheritance tax plans. If only so much of the nation had so much capital to leave to the next generation. Alas, the reality is far different. The point is the Tories tax proposals have been rushed. It wouldn't surprise me if they came up with their non domicile levy (a 25,000 poll tax on people who can't vote) in a panic last week as they scratched around for some red meat to chuck to the baying Tory blue rinse. In July, Tory Treasury Spokesman Philip Hammond MP was himself attacking the Lib Dems for wanting to bring non doms into the UK tax system, describing them as an "easy target".
So today expect some absurd claims about millions of people benefitting from the Tory tax plans. Their rushed proposals, thrown together for a snap general election, will come unstuck in the glare of publicity. That's already happening with their recent tax announcements.
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