Cameron: I don’t like any taxes
David Cameron insisted that he disliked all taxes during a speech to small business owners today, in a comment which is likely to bolster confidence in him among his backbenchers.
"I'm a tax cutting Tory. Frankly I don't really like any taxes," he told the Federation of Small Business (FSB).
"But you can only keep taxes down if you're prepared to take difficult decisions about spending".
The prime minister said he was "trying to address personal rates of taxation as well". and pointed to a "rolling" programme" of tax cuts.
The comments came during the Q&A of an otherwise fairly run-of-the-mill speech, in which the prime minister said he was running the first administration in modern times to reduce the regulatory burden on businesses.
"This is going to be the first government in modern history that at the end of its parliamentary term has less regulation in place than at the beginning," he said.
"We will let you get on with what you do best – enterprising, innovating and – most importantly – creating jobs."
The speech comes just days after shadow chancellor Ed Balls committed Labour to a 50p income tax rate for those earning over £150,000.
Asked about the plan, Cameron said it was an "anti-business, anti-enterprise, anti-growth measure… politically convenient but very, very bad for the economy".
