Mr Major’s Comments on Tax Cuts – 2 April 1997

April 2, 1997 admin 1997, 1997 General Election, Taxation

The text of Mr Major’s comments on his previous tax policy and his plans for cutting taxes, made on 2nd April 1997.

QUESTION:

[Mr Major was asked why he had increased taxation].

PRIME MINISTER:

We hadn’t wished to increase any element of taxation, and we did. And we did that because we were faced with a recession, that nobody anticipated, not made in this country, an international recession, and in a recession you have to help the people who are vulnerable. And that’s why we had to increase taxes and I believe it was right for us to do so.

QUESTION:

[Mr Major was asked if he would increase taxes in the future].

PRIME MINISTER:

I’ve made it perfectly clear, we are a tax-cutting party and when affordable we will cut taxes.