Tory tax rises inconvenient but inevitable

In my Telegraph column today I look at the other side of the spending cuts ‘debate’ – tax rises. In conversations around the village this week I was struck by the extent to which the expectation of tax rises has embedded itself among Conservatives. They don’t like it, but they think increases – albeit temporary ones – will be necessary to help fill the Great Brown Hole of Britain. For understandable reasons, they don’t want to talk about it although Kenneth Clarke moved in that direction yesterday. It’s the inconvenient truth. ConservativeHome has followed it up here.