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Finance Bill

Of course there would be costs attached to that measure, but my party has identified how it would pay for it—[Interruption.] Members are being critical, and I hear the Conservative spokesman saying that he does not approve of this suggestion. It has broad support, however. I have here a letter addressed to "The Rt Hon N Clegg MP". It says:""I was interested to hear what you were saying on Radio 4 today…concerning proposals that should be in the Chancellor's Budget on Wednesday. I was delighted that you proposed a doubling of the annual tax threshold to £10,000. I have been advocating a similar proposal…Until now I have felt a very lonely voice…I am glad that at least one Party is now in agreement!"" That letter was from Norman Tebbit. The point that I am trying to make is that the idea—[Interruption.] No, he is not a spokesman for his own party; of course he is not. The idea that this is some sort of fanciful left-wing idea being suggested by the Liberal Democrats and that the Conservatives could not conceivably countenance it simply is not true. They just lack the boldness and ambition—