Britain's Conservatives today promised tax cuts worth £4 billion sterling if they win the forthcoming general election.
The cuts would be financed by a massive £35 billion reduction in government spending, involving the abolition of 168 public bodies and the loss of 235,000 civil servants' jobs.
But Tory leader Mr Michael Howard insisted this would not mean less money for key public services. Tories have pledged to match Labour spending plans on the NHS, schools and transport and to spend more than Prime Minister Tony Blair plans to on the police, pensions and defence.
There was no immediate confirmation from the Tories on which taxes would be reduced, though Mr Howard and shadow chancellor Mr Oliver Letwin are expected to enter the election with a promise to raise income tax thresholds to lift low-earners out of the tax altogether.
Mr Howard believes the promise of tax cuts worth the equivalent of around £170 a year for each household in the UK will give the Conservatives a powerful message as they battle to oust Labour in the election, expected in May.
But the impact of today's announcement was undermined by the weekend defection to Labour of former Tory minister Robert Jackson and opinion polls suggesting the Conservatives are facing their worst election result for a century.
PA