... Tony McNulty, I guess. On the Daily Politics programme today McNulty conceded that, in the long term, taxes may have to rise to pay off government borrowing. Andrew Neil has got a clip on his blog.
At his press conference today Gordon Brown refused point-blank to address this question. What's the betting that Cameron starts tomorrow by asking if McNulty was right?
For anyone who does not have time to watch the clip, here's a transcript, courtesy of the Tories.
Tony McNulty: "We will need to get back to at some time an equilibrium in the economy that is very, very clear."
Andrew Neil: " ... Taxes will have to go up to pay for that borrowing?"
Tony McNulty: "Over the longer term that is the point, that's the point, what do you do now in the short term to get over the difficulties that there are now and then how do you very responsibly get back to equilibrium over that longer time."
Andrew Neil: "So taxes will have to go up over time?"
Tony McNulty: "Well we will see, it may well be that the economy gets out of this quicker, than otherwise receipts shoot up and then the balance if there is a balance may need to be found by taxation that's a moot point at this stage."
