Blair puts economy centre stage
Tony Blair today vowed to “bang on and on and on” about the economy over the coming month in an attempt to make economic policy the key issue in the general election.
And he will continue to warn voters that supporting the Conservatives would jeopardise Labour’s “hard-won” economic stability.
But, the Conservatives accused him of failing to mention taxes once.
Speaking at a press conference with Gordon Brown, Mr Blair said it was “fashionable but wrong” to claim Labour’s success was due to the strong economy it had inherited from the Conservative.
The economy it inherited had been “prone to boom and bust” with public finances “out of control”.
The Prime Minister promised to highlight both the Conservatives’ past ‘failures’ in managing the economy and the ‘damage’ their current policies would do.
Electing the Conservatives would “put at risk” Labour achievements such as lower mortgage rates, low interest rates, economic stability and increased investment in public services.
“If people want a secure economic future, they should support the Labour Party, because we have shown we can build that economic stability, and the Conservative Party have shown they can’t.”
Mr Blair said that message would be sent out to core Labour voters including teachers and nurses, telling them they needed the party’s strong economic management to continue increased investment in hospitals and schools.
Labour would also continue to hammer home the message that the Conservatives would spend £35 billion less in the next parliament.
Conservative leader Michael Howard’s ‘extraordinary’ decision to make almost no mention of the economy in his campaign launch yesterday showed they had vacated the ‘number one’ position on the economy and were trying to avoid scrutiny of their economic policies, Mr Blair said.
But Shadow Chancellor Oliver Letwin said that Mr Blair had failed to answer any questions on taxation.
Mr Letwin said: “If Mr Blair wants stability for hard-working families, why doesn’t he come clean about which taxes he intends to raise to pay for his excessive borrowing?
“We will keep repeating this question until it is answered: “Mr Blair, which taxes are you going to raise?
“His failure to give a straight answer highlights the choice at the next election: more waste and higher taxes under Mr Blair, or value for money and lower taxes with Conservatives.”
