You couldn't believe what the Tories said in government. Now you can't believe what they say in opposition.

The Tories have now admitted what Labour has said all along -- that their tax guarantee promises nothing more than spending cuts to health, education and the fight against crime.

In an interview in the Telegraph, Mr Hague said 'we are making it clear that a Conservative government will increase public spending by a smaller proportion than the growth of the economy as a whole'.

In other words the Tories would cut public spending by around 1.3 per cent a year compared to Labour's plans.

That means cuts of year one -- £4.3 billion less; by year two -- £9.6 billion less; by year three -- £16.1 billion less.

Tories must now tell voters what exactly they will cut to find the £16.1 billion cuts. Simply abandoning their once guaranteed tax cut strategy does not answer this.

All this does not come as a shock though. The Tories have always lied on tax. Before the 1979 election they said they would not increase VAT. In their first budget they doubled it to 15 per cent. Before the 1992 election they said tax would be cut year-on year. Then they gave us 22 Tory tax rises.

Even locally they are still doing it.

Just this week Blackrod Tory John Winward said the Tories would cut duty on petrol. This is a strange commitment because just last week William Hague said they would not cut duty on petrol. Who are we to believe? Is John Winward deciding future Tory policy now?

M Schmid,

Lower Landedmans

Westhoughton,

Bolton