CCHQ launch new campaign materials

Earlier this week when conservatives.com launched a national debt clock you asked for it to be embeddable and personalised.

CCHQ have obliged.  Rather than showing the whole national debt the widget they've just launched (much more meaningfully) shows you your own share of Brown's debt... and click here to embed on your own blog.

The bombshell advert has also been updated to take account of Labour's likely intentions on VAT:

Comments

[greg]

This Tory VAT campaign seems very short-sighted. Historically VAT has been the Conservative tax rise of choice. Nobody doubts that a Govt of any colour is going to have to raise taxes after the next election, and this campaign will close off a major option to them.

[AngloAmerican]

As an aside I saw Shaun Woodward on the BA flight from Heathrow to JFK, flying first class, in seat 1A no less. I hope someone as wealthy as he is not flying first class on taxpayers expense at a time of financial crisis

[Cleethorpes Rock]

I think the point is that the government were dishonest by cutting VAT and then hiding future VAT increases.

The Tories did increase VAT, but in conjunction with reductions in Income Tax in order to shift tax onto consumption rather than on jobs and hard work. The campaign is more aainst Labour hiding their true plans.

[greg]

I know that's the point of the campaign. That's why i said it was short-sighted. In the short term it will bring political advantage, but it leaves a long term problem.

[YMT]

Need to also focus on the NI rise, plus the various duties. Labour are planning an across the board money grab by burdening the public with a massive increase in the cost of living.

[Sammy Finn]

The VAT bombshell is making the same mistake as the original debt counter. Rather than an abstract idea it should say what the VAT etc bombshell means for the average taxpayer.

That's certainly what John Majors 1992 tax bombshell warned of.

[Andrew S]

"The VAT bombshell is making the same mistake as the original debt counter. Rather than an abstract idea it should say what the VAT etc bombshell means for the average taxpayer.

That's certainly what John Majors 1992 tax bombshell warned of."

True, but it might be quite difficult to provide several VAT related examples in a big enough font on a bomb of that size.

I love it by the way, the thought of Gordon opening up his presents on Christmas morning. aww

[Andrew S]

Or write in underneath. I perhaps should have thought of that sooner...

[pp]

The VAT really doesn't need further explaination.

All prices that include VAT are going up - if someone doesn't understand that, they probably cant read anyway...

[leroche]

Realistically there is not much we can do about Labour screwing up the nation's finances (again) so it seems to me like taxes will have to go up when the next Tory govt comes in (hopefully in 2010). Even with public sector efficiency it will be very difficult to avoid tax rises.

So...what taxes do we think should go up then? Obviously this will depend on circs at the time etc., but in principle a consumption tax is probably better than an income tax?

[RichardJ]

leroche - we could cut spending instead of raising taxes. I for one would rather risk longer NHS waiting lists than have my spending and saving curtailed.