Portillo: We believe in trusting the people

Speaking at a Conservative Party pre-election rally on the South Bank, the Shadow Chancellor, the Rt Hon Michael Portillo, said:

"As a very young man I was attracted to the Labour Party. The idea of high tax and high government spending seemed socially responsible. But over time I saw that ...

Portillo: How would Labour raise the £10bn they would need?

Speaking at a press conference at Conservative Central Office, Rt Hon Michael Portillo, Shadow Chancellor:

"Labour Governments always mean higher taxes.

"Four years ago, Tony Blair promised that this Labour Government would be different. Since then, Labour have given us forty-five stealth taxes and the tax burden has risen by ...

Portillo: Families will be better off under the Conservatives

At a press conference at Conservative Central Office, Rt Hon Michael Portillo, Shadow Chancellor:

"Labour Governments always put up taxes. This Labour Government was supposed to be different. Four years ago, Labour campaigned on a manifesto that said 'New Labour is not about high taxes on ordinary families'. Even Tony ...

Portillo: Blair should publish cost of scrapping the pound

Speaking at a press conference at Conservative Central Office, Rt Hon Michael Portillo, Shadow Chancellor:

"Mr Blair has been unwilling put any argument for the euro. He says there are constitutional issues associated with scrapping the pound, but that these have been 'resolved'. He has not said why he thinks ...

Portillo: A fortnight's more taxes under Labour

The Shadow Chancellor, Michael Portillo, attacked Labour for raising taxes by stealth over the past four years. Speaking in Hornchurch:

"This weekend is a Bank Holiday weekend. But life's no holiday under Labour. The New Labour way of life is that people should pay more and more in tax ...

Portillo: Blair is no patriot - he is a defeatist

Speaking at the Kensington & Chelsea Constituency Association, the Shadow Chancellor, Rt. Hon Michael Portillo:

"Tony Blair's controversial claim that Britain's self-interest lies in the UK scrapping the pound, being part of a single currency and a European Superstate, cannot go unchallenged.

"The moderate majority will disagree that ...

Portillo: Europe's tax harmonisation agenda

"This morning, the European Commission discusses its confidential draft Communication Tax Policy in the European Union -Priorities for the years ahead.

Yesterday, Labour's plan to raise the effective rate of tax on middle incomes remained undenied. The Chancellor's hurried statement last night did not commit him not to ...

Portillo: Conservatives launch manifesto for pensioners

Speaking in Westminster, Shadow Chancellor, the Rt. Hon Michael Portillo, launched the Conservative Party's manifesto for pensioners:

"Today we are launching our manifesto for pensioners.

"We want to give pensioners dignity. We want to make the tax system simpler and fairer for older people. And we want to encourage ...

Portillo: Conservatives cutting taxes for business

Launching the Conservatives business manifesto 'Common Sense for Business', the Shadow Chancellor, Michael Portillo:

During the last four years, Britain has lost two-thirds of the tax advantage that we enjoyed over our European competitors in the mid 1990s.

If Labour were re-elected, their spending plans mean further increases in tax ...

Portillo: Brown must raise £10bn in tax and tell us which stealth taxes he's going to use

In a speech to Putney Conservative Association, the Shadow Chancellor, the Rt. Hon Michael Portillo:

"The election campaign's first seven days has delivered to the Conservatives victories on the key issue of taxation. This morning Gordon Brown was busy highlighting the Conservative agenda of cutting taxes in the next ...

Portillo: Brown is plotting an imprudent path at uncertain times

Speaking to the Institute of Directors in Wales, the Shadow Chancellor, the Rt Hon Michael Portillo MP, analyses how appropriate the Chancellor's tax and spend policies are in economic good times and bad:

"With economic uncertainty growing, with major companies issuing profit warnings and stock markets fluctuating across the ...

Portillo: Brown is the high taxing Chancellor

Before the last election Tony Blair and Gordon Brown said that they had no plans to increase taxes at all. Since 1997 the Labour Government has increased taxes relentlessly.

"Like all Labour Governments, this Government has increased taxes. But instead of increasing income tax, Mr Blair and Mr Brown have ...

Portillo: Conservatives will Follow Five Economic Disciplines

Many of us have come to think of Britain as being a good place from which to do business. We trade on a reputation, especially relative to our continental neighbours, for low taxes, a flexible labour market, and a healthy climate for enterprise. But every day it becomes less true ...

Portillo: Spring Forum Speech 2001

Conservatives are Setting the Agenda for Britain

I joined the Conservative Party just after Margaret Thatcher had become leader. I had a burning sense that we had to change Britain. We were overtaxed. The state was taking over people's lives, making them dependent on government for handouts. But we ...

Portillo: Why Britain Needs Lower Taxes

A few years ago the road to Damascus was littered with Labour politicians who had seen the light. No longer was nationalisation the passport to commercial success. No longer was dictatorship by the unions the key to industrial partnership. No longer were higher taxes the route to a more prosperous ...

Portillo: Conservatives to take One Million Pensioners out of Tax

Last week, we announced that the next Conservative Government would implement the most radical reform of the taxation on savings in a generation. Our proposals have since been widely welcomed. Those proposals help pensioners and we welcome that. But there are approximately 17 million savers, and about 4 million pensioners ...

Portillo: Conservatives to Abolish Taxes on Savings

Conservatives understand that savings give people choices and independence. People who are able to build up savings are better able to look after themselves and their families; they can be more independent of the state and face the future with more confidence.

"The Chancellor, as the election approaches, hints that ...

Portillo: Five Disciplines for Macro-economic Policy

Today I want to set out the framework of disciplines within which macro-economic policy would work under a Conservative government. I would also like to set out some radical ideas that would enable Britain during coming decades to meet many of the aspirations of the British people for better services ...

Portillo: Speech to the Institute of Economic Affairs

William Hague has put forward the powerful economic and moral case for low taxation. He has explained why a Party that is committed to lower taxation will win the support of millions of hard-working families who are suffering under Gordon Brown's stealth taxes. And he has set out the ...

Portillo: UK Economy Losing Control under Labour

The UK Economy

"This is not the government you voted for. Under Labour the British economy is losing ground. This government is swimming against the international tide of lower regulations and lower taxes.

"People in Britain know that they are paying more in tax. New independent figures from Price Waterhouse ...

Portillo: Party Conference Speech 2000

Four years ago Tony Blair promised us a new Britain.

He promised taxes wouldn't rise. But they have.

He promised shorter waiting lists. But they're longer.

He promised smaller classes. But they're larger.

He promised more police. But there are fewer.

He promised his government would be ...

Portillo: We Will Cut the Duty on Fuel

We have voted against the increases in fuel duty imposed by Gordon Brown in his last two Budgets and this Summer we launched a campaign against high fuel taxes. We also made it clear that we would make our tax announcements only when we were ready to do so and ...

Portillo: Welsh Conference Speech 2000

A couple of weeks ago Peter Mandelson, the Northern Ireland Secretary, tried seize control of Government policy on the euro. Now that the Prime Minister has weakened his Chancellor, by failing to endorse his class war language, new ministerial minnows are coming forward to seize Gordon Brown`s territory.

"Fresh ...