---

Finance Bill

Listen, and I will explain. Compensating only the people who are net losers because of the doubling of the 10p rate would cost something in the region of £700 million—the figure mentioned by the hon. Gentleman. The total increase in revenue from doubling the 10p rate is far greater than that because someone who is earning £100,000, £150,000 or £200,000 a year will also be affected by the 10p rate. We are talking about two separate measures. The 2p reduction in the basic rate was paid for in large part—I did not say entirely—by the doubling of the 10p rate. A lot of people are net beneficiaries of that change because the 2p reduction in the basic rate more than compensates them for the doubling of the 10p band, which is quite narrow. However, some people on lower incomes—those who are, depending on their circumstances, earning up to £18,000—are net losers. The hon. Gentleman is confusing two separate points. I will, however, meet the hon. Gentleman halfway on this point. I find it galling to listen to the Conservatives professing great concern about the poorest in our society. We remember, in March 2007, the current Prime Minister's final Budget as Chancellor of the Exchequer, and the misplaced euphoria of the Labour MPs who thought that this was a man capable of winning a general election. We remember the heightened excitement in the autumn of last year, when there was a possibility that a general election would take place and when it still seemed plausible that the Prime Minister could deliver a victory for the Labour party. The Conservatives had their conference at that time, and the shadow Chancellor made a speech that was extremely well received by large parts of the media.