Cooper on Clegg on tax

Three Line Whip raises an interesting question - what if Nick Clegg comes out for an overall upfront tax cut?

They point to this in Clegg's Spring conference speech:

So if, before the General Election, we find we can deliver our objectives with money to spare, we shouldn’t look for new ways to spend it. We should look for new ways to hand it back, especially to those who need it most."

So they're right. He might indeed try and play the tax card.

I asked Andrew Cooper of Populus, my guru on public opinion, how he thought such a move would go over. Wouldn't it dish the Tories, Andrew?

His verdict:

It would make life very difficult in terms of holding the line internally. But it wouldn’t wash with voters who would think it shows great cynicism.

Such is the lag effect of political communications, most voters have only just digested the Lib Dem policy of putting a penny on tax to fund improved public services – which is regarded as a rare example of a party being honest – so tax cut promises would confuse people, and harm not help Clegg