Jowell keeps silent over post-election tax rises
Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell today declined to rule out tax increases
following the General Election.
In a television interview to be broadcast tomorrow, Ms Jowell said that Labour's tax plans would not be unveiled until Prime Minister Tony Blair publishes the party's manifesto next week.
But she said no sensible politician would say there would never again be need for tax rises.
Ms Jowell told Channel 4's Morgan and Platell programme that the Government's public spending plans were affordable and "do not require tax rises". But she added: "If... you're asking me to say will there ever be circumstances in which tax rises are necessary, I can't give you the answer to that question. No politician can ever give you the answer to that question."
Pressed on whether the manifesto would include proposals for tax increases, Ms Jowell responded: "You will have to wait for the manifesto to be published. The important point is that no sensible politician is going to say, `No it is never again, ever again, going to be necessary to raise taxes'."
Labour had kept its 2001 manifesto pledge not to increase the basic or higher rates of income tax, and would stick to whatever pledges are made in this year's manifesto, she said.
She also claimed that the 1% hike in National Insurance imposed following the 2001 election - which was not mentioned in the manifesto - had proved popular among voters.
"(It) was and is a popular tax rise because people want to see more money going into their health service," she said.
Ms Jowell confirmed that she had spoken to Mr Blair last year to encourage him to stay on as Prime Minister, at a time when it was reported that he was considering standing down in favour of Chancellor Gordon Brown.
She told the programme it would be "perfectly fair" to say that she was very keen that the PM stay on, but declined to discuss details of the conversation, which she said was "private".
She told the programme: "These were private conversations and they've been reported, but they are private conversations.
"I think that being Prime Minister is very rough and I think that if you're Prime Minister, as in any other very prominent leadership role or actually any role at all, you need to know that people have faith and confidence in you, that they believe you and that they trust you and that they support you.
"I think Tony Blair has been an extraordinarily successful Prime Minister and I hope will go on to do so until he has decided he is going to stand down before the next election. The country will benefit from that and all those in the Government who support him, I think, have made that very clear to him."
Ms Jowell warned Labour supporters who want to see a change in leadership not to follow the advice of the left-of-centre New Statesman magazine by voting against Blairites, including herself.
"If you do anything other than vote Labour in this election you run the risk of waking up on May 6 and finding that Michael Howard is the Prime Minister," she said.
"So this is not the time to mess about or settle old scores. This is make-your-mind-up time."
The full interview can be seen on Morgan and Platell on Channel 4 at 6pm on April 9.
- By Andrew Woodcock, PA Political Correspondent – 9 Apr
In a television interview to be broadcast tomorrow, Ms Jowell said that Labour's tax plans would not be unveiled until Prime Minister Tony Blair publishes the party's manifesto next week.
But she said no sensible politician would say there would never again be need for tax rises.
Ms Jowell told Channel 4's Morgan and Platell programme that the Government's public spending plans were affordable and "do not require tax rises". But she added: "If... you're asking me to say will there ever be circumstances in which tax rises are necessary, I can't give you the answer to that question. No politician can ever give you the answer to that question."
Pressed on whether the manifesto would include proposals for tax increases, Ms Jowell responded: "You will have to wait for the manifesto to be published. The important point is that no sensible politician is going to say, `No it is never again, ever again, going to be necessary to raise taxes'."
Labour had kept its 2001 manifesto pledge not to increase the basic or higher rates of income tax, and would stick to whatever pledges are made in this year's manifesto, she said.
She also claimed that the 1% hike in National Insurance imposed following the 2001 election - which was not mentioned in the manifesto - had proved popular among voters.
"(It) was and is a popular tax rise because people want to see more money going into their health service," she said.
Ms Jowell confirmed that she had spoken to Mr Blair last year to encourage him to stay on as Prime Minister, at a time when it was reported that he was considering standing down in favour of Chancellor Gordon Brown.
She told the programme it would be "perfectly fair" to say that she was very keen that the PM stay on, but declined to discuss details of the conversation, which she said was "private".
She told the programme: "These were private conversations and they've been reported, but they are private conversations.
"I think that being Prime Minister is very rough and I think that if you're Prime Minister, as in any other very prominent leadership role or actually any role at all, you need to know that people have faith and confidence in you, that they believe you and that they trust you and that they support you.
"I think Tony Blair has been an extraordinarily successful Prime Minister and I hope will go on to do so until he has decided he is going to stand down before the next election. The country will benefit from that and all those in the Government who support him, I think, have made that very clear to him."
Ms Jowell warned Labour supporters who want to see a change in leadership not to follow the advice of the left-of-centre New Statesman magazine by voting against Blairites, including herself.
"If you do anything other than vote Labour in this election you run the risk of waking up on May 6 and finding that Michael Howard is the Prime Minister," she said.
"So this is not the time to mess about or settle old scores. This is make-your-mind-up time."
The full interview can be seen on Morgan and Platell on Channel 4 at 6pm on April 9.
- By Andrew Woodcock, PA Political Correspondent – 9 Apr