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Liberal Democrats step up marriage tax break criticism Nick Clegg on the offensive over marriage tax breaks
(about 1 hour later)
Deputy leader Simon Hughes has renewed the Lib Dems' attack on Conservative plans for married couples' tax breaks. Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg has said the idea of tax breaks for married couples is wrong, and would not work.
Mr Hughes, speaking after reports party leader Nick Clegg is to criticise the idea in a speech on Monday, also denied the issue showed coalition tensions. The deputy prime minister told Sky News there were "philosophical differences" with the Lib Dems' coalition partners, the Conservatives, over the issue.
Mr Hughes told BBC Breakfast that marriage tax breaks was one of four areas in the coalition agreement where the two parties had agreed to differ. He said there was a limit on what the state "should seek to do in organising people's private relationships".
The other areas were nuclear power and energy, and tuition fees, he said. Fellow Lib Dems Vince Cable and Simon Hughes also attacked the idea during interviews with the BBC.
Mr Hughes, deputy Lib Dem leader, also denied the issue showed coalition tensions, telling BBC Breakfast it was one of four areas in the coalition agreement where the two parties had agreed to differ.
The other areas were nuclear power, nuclear energy and tuition fees, he said.
'1950s model'
Conservative leader David Cameron said in his party conference in October: "Marriage is not just a piece of paper. It pulls couples together through the ebb and flow of life.Conservative leader David Cameron said in his party conference in October: "Marriage is not just a piece of paper. It pulls couples together through the ebb and flow of life.
"It gives children stability. And it says powerful things about what we should value. So yes, we will recognise marriage in the tax system.""It gives children stability. And it says powerful things about what we should value. So yes, we will recognise marriage in the tax system."
Mr Hughes was asked whether the idea that Mr Clegg was going to criticise the idea was a sign of growing differences in the coalition. Conservative backbenchers are pressing for their party's election pledge to introduce transferable tax allowances worth up to £150 a year to be implemented during the current parliament.
He dismissed that suggestion, saying: "There were four areas identified in the coalition agreement as being areas where there would be a difference. Mr Clegg told the Dermot Murnaghan programme he was in favour of marriage, but said children "thrived best when they see their parents happy together", whether they were married or not.
"One was married tax breaks for married couples, where we have always taken the view that if people have been together, they shouldn't have a differential tax treatment from people who have been married. He said that he did not think the state offering people "20 quid back would make much difference to people's decisions" on whether or not to get married.
"I have a Godchild whose parents have been together happily in a wonderful family for 25 years - they're not married. Should they have a different tax position (from a couple who are married)?" Business secretary Vince Cable told BBC One's Andrew Marr Show that he was a big believer in marriage personally, and also rejected the suggestion Mr Clegg had brought up the subject as a "gratuitous" bit of coalition politics.
Mr Clegg is due to expand on the subject in a speech on Monday to a think tank in London about the "open society".
"We should not take a particular version of the family institution, such as the 1950s model of suit-wearing, bread-winning dad and aproned, home-making mother - and try and preserve it in aspic," he will reportedly tell the Demos think-tank.
"That's why open society liberals and big society conservatives will take a different view on a tax break for marriage.
"We can all agree that strong relationships between parents are important, but not agree that the state should use the tax system to encourage a particular family form.
"Conservatives, by definition, tend to defend the status quo, embracing change reluctantly and often after the event."
But the Centre for Social Justice think-tank, which was founded by Conservative Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith, rejected Mr Clegg's analysis.
Executive director Gavin Poole said: "Nick Clegg's stance flies in the face of all the evidence, completely ignoring national and international data demonstrating how important marriage is to the health and well-being of children and families.
"Marriage is important because one in three couples who live together when a child is born split up before that child is five, compared to only one in 11 married couples."