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

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.