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Tories 'to act on unemployment' Tories 'to act on unemployment'
(about 1 hour later)
David Cameron has said his party will not "stand by and do nothing" in the face of rising unemployment. David Cameron has said his party will not "stand by and do nothing" about rising unemployment and will offer "tax changes" to help keep people in work.
He said the Conservatives had a moral obligation to help people who were laid off, or were at risk of being so.He said the Conservatives had a moral obligation to help people who were laid off, or were at risk of being so.
The party is expected to outline plans on Tuesday for tax cuts to help to keep people in work. On Tuesday the party would announce tax changes to help encourage firms to "take on workers and to keep workers".
Mr Cameron also told a Conservative women's conference that the government behaved "as if there's no limit to what you can borrow". Vince Cable said both Labour and the Tories were "desperately anxious" to follow Lib Dem policies on tax cuts.
Reports suggest the Conservatives may unveil their tax cut proposals on Tuesday which may include a National Insurance payments holiday for new workers, to encourage employers to take on new staff. Reports suggest the Conservatives will unveil tax cut proposals on Tuesday which may include a National Insurance payments holiday for new workers, to encourage employers to take on new staff.
'Stiff tests''Stiff tests'
Mr Cameron did not outline the specifics of the party's proposals, but told the conference he would be making a "very clear announcement about some tax changes that will help to encourage businesses to take on workers and keep workers". Addressing a Conservative women's conference Mr Cameron did not outline the specifics of the party's proposals, but said he would be making a "very clear announcement about some tax changes that will help to encourage businesses to take on workers and keep workers".
He said the party would set "very stiff tests" for the government, and themselves, on any proposals, so that it was clearly explained where the money was coming from.He said the party would set "very stiff tests" for the government, and themselves, on any proposals, so that it was clearly explained where the money was coming from.
It's a personal tragedy, an economic waste and a source of social decay David CameronIt's a personal tragedy, an economic waste and a source of social decay David Cameron
He warned against borrowing without limit and said proposals must not "impair, permanently" the public finances.He warned against borrowing without limit and said proposals must not "impair, permanently" the public finances.
He said there had been an "enormous budget deficit even before the recession began" and said the figures for the next few years were "truly frightening".He said there had been an "enormous budget deficit even before the recession began" and said the figures for the next few years were "truly frightening".
"We want to help, we will help, and we will put money back in people's pockets and we will say where it comes from," he said during a Q&A session."We want to help, we will help, and we will put money back in people's pockets and we will say where it comes from," he said during a Q&A session.
'Destroy lives''Destroy lives'
He said the government was in "complete confusion" over public spending, borrowing and tax plans while the Conservatives would send a "very clear message" about how they would help people through a recession.He said the government was in "complete confusion" over public spending, borrowing and tax plans while the Conservatives would send a "very clear message" about how they would help people through a recession.
In his speech he said unemployment should not be seen as an "unavoidable consequence of recession".In his speech he said unemployment should not be seen as an "unavoidable consequence of recession".
He said people's "biggest worry" was redundancy and unemployment predictions for next year were "grim".He said people's "biggest worry" was redundancy and unemployment predictions for next year were "grim".
Clearly people on low incomes have a higher propensity to spend Vince CableLib Dems
"The Conservative Party will not stand aside and allow unemployment to claim livelihoods and destroy lives. We will not walk on by while people lose their jobs," he said."The Conservative Party will not stand aside and allow unemployment to claim livelihoods and destroy lives. We will not walk on by while people lose their jobs," he said.
"Compassion" was an important Conservative value and a "fusion of this compassion with responsibility" was the authentic Tory response to the threat of mass unemployment.
"We have a moral obligation to help those who have lost their job through no fault of their own, or are in danger of doing so," he said."We have a moral obligation to help those who have lost their job through no fault of their own, or are in danger of doing so," he said.
Mr Cameron told the conference unemployment was bad for society as it could contribute towards family breakdown, educational failure, drug abuse and crime.Mr Cameron told the conference unemployment was bad for society as it could contribute towards family breakdown, educational failure, drug abuse and crime.
And he said the longer people were out of work, the harder it was to find a job as people lost self esteem and their skills became outdated.And he said the longer people were out of work, the harder it was to find a job as people lost self esteem and their skills became outdated.
"It's a personal tragedy, an economic waste and a source of social decay. It is in no-one's interests to allow long-term unemployment to take root, which is why we've got to take action now to prevent mass unemployment happening."
On Monday Gordon Brown told GMTV the government would "look at everything" to boost the economy, including tax cuts and public spending rises, but said announcements would be made in the pre-Budget report.On Monday Gordon Brown told GMTV the government would "look at everything" to boost the economy, including tax cuts and public spending rises, but said announcements would be made in the pre-Budget report.
The Liberal Democrats are already committed to cutting tax for lower and middle earners.The Liberal Democrats are already committed to cutting tax for lower and middle earners.
During a Commons debate earlier, the party's Treasury spokesman Vince Cable accused both the government and the Conservatives of being "desperately anxious" to run onto the ground already "staked out" by his party on tax cuts.
He urged the government to back his party's policy, of cutting the basic rate of income tax from 20p to 16p - and said with Britain facing a sharp recession it should be paid for by the "relatively wealthy".
"We argue this primarily on grounds of fairness," he said.
"It happens to be appropriate to the context in which we operate because clearly people on low incomes have a higher propensity to spend."