They're at it again

Yet again, Labour Ministers have been caught being less than honest over increased taxes.

This morning it emerged that owners of cars up to seven years old will be hit by an extra road tax demand as a result of the 2008 Budget.

The Government was forced to admit it was quietly abolishing the exemption for older cars from the highest rates of vehicle excise duty. This means that owners of larger cars bought since March 2001 will find that their road tax will rise steeply from next April.

"It's not as clear in the Budget as it could be,” said a Treasury spokesman. “It's not explicitly spelt out." No doubt as a result of an instruction from his political masters.

As with the abolition of the 10p tax rate – which could yet be the defining moment of Gordon Brown’s rapidly declining premiership – it is obvious that the characteristic Labour tactic of keeping its metaphoric head down in the hope that no-one notices their pockets have been picked was never going to work.

The British people simply aren’t that stupid and it is the sign of this Government’s arrogance that Ministers think we are.

Meanwhile, many larger families on moderate incomes will now be clobbered by another bill for £245.

Mood swings

Yesterday’s News of the World poll made interesting reading – and not just because it predicted my own victory in Keighley and Ilkley at the forthcoming General Election.

The survey was conducted in the 145 most marginal seats at the 2005 Election where Labour came first and the Conservatives second.

If translated into real votes, the predicted 9% swing would give Prime Minister David Cameron a 64-seat majority in the new Parliament.

Clearly much can and no doubt will happen between now and polling day in 2009 or 2010.

However, it’s reassuring to know that real people on the ground clearly like what we’ve been saying on the big issues in recent months.

But for now, it’s on with the hard work.

They think it’s all over?

Gordon Brown’s U-turn on compensating some of those affected by the abolition of the 10p tax rate is already well on the way to unravelling.

Last night Treasury Chief Secretary Yvette Cooper was characteristically patronising and woolly on Newsnight, refusing to be specific on who would benefit from the U-turn, by how much and when it would happen.

Then, speaking in the Commons this morning, Chancellor Alistair Darling said it would “take time” to finalise the compensation package, adding that the tax system could be “quite complex.”

Already several Labour MPs have spoken out to say they believe chief rebel Frank Field was too hasty in withdrawing his amendment guaranteeing compensation for those affected.

Should one of Mr Field's 45 rebel Labour colleagues re-table this or a similar amendment in time for Monday evening's debate, Gordon might well find himself back in the Brown stuff yet again.

Good Lord

Just a day after Alistair Darling admitted that Labour needed to "sharpen up," the party's crazy-haired peer Lord Desai today claimed the combination of an economic downturn and the Prime Minister's presentational weaknesses now made it "very difficult" for Labour to win the next General Election.

He also confirmed that many senior figures in the party were turning their minds to who would succeed Brown as leader.

Lord Desai told the London Evening Standard: "Gordon Brown was put on Earth to remind people how good Tony Blair was.”

Could things get much worse for the Great Leader?

Labour Government wrong on tax change

It was interesting to watch Treasury Select Committee Chairman and Labour MP John McFall come out last night and join the increasingly widening attack on the Government’s decision to scrap the 10p income tax band.

The normally loyal former Minister is usually very happy to defend his party colleagues at moments of crisis. But not this time.

His comments, coupled with ex-Sports Minister Kate Hoey’s description of the last Parliamentary Labour Party meeting as “sulphurous” over the issue is an indication of the increasing panic and paranoia rumbling through the ranks of the Brown administration – and it’s hardly surprising.

Over the last two months, 73 Labour MPs have signed at least one Commons Motion opposing the change.

Conservative Leader David Cameron is entirely correct when he says that this tax grab on some of the country’s poorest people must be stopped.

And, rather than simply talk about it, David has backed moves to block the measure when the Finance Bill returns to the House.

The next phase of this battle for what is right should be very interesting and I hope, for the sake of those in greatest need in our society, it is a battle the Labour Government loses.