The Staggers

The New Statesman’s rolling politics blog

The three biggest Cameron U-turns

The Tory leader’s U-turns on VAT, child benefit and spending cuts.

By George Eaton Published 27 December 2010 13:49

Following the coalition's decision to guarantee funding for Bookstart (having pledged to end state support), the Telegraph's Benedict Brogan notes that David Cameron is becoming a master of the political U-turn.

He cites ten examples, including free milk, school sports, the non-abolition of the 1922 Committee and the "cast-iron guarantee" to hold a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty. Yet even Brogan's list doesn't begin to cover Cameron's policy reversals. Here are three of the biggest U-turns that he forgot to include.

1. VAT rise

There are just eight days to go until VAT rises from 17.5 per cent to an all-time high of 20 per cent but, as recently as the election campaign, Cameron was still insisting that the Tories would not raise the tax.

Here's what he told Jeremy Paxman in an interview on 23 April:

We have absolutely no plans to raise VAT. Our first Budget is all about recognising we need to get spending under control rather than putting up tax.

Before that, in April 2009, Cameron promised he would not raise a tax that "hits the poorest the hardest". He said:

You could try, as you say, to put it on VAT, sales tax, but again if you look at the effect of sales tax, it's very regressive, it hits the poorest the hardest. It does, I absolutely promise you. Any sales tax, anything that goes on purchases that you make in shops tends to . . . if you look at it, where VAT goes now it doesn't go on food obviously but it goes very, very widely and VAT is a more regressive tax than income tax or council tax.

2. Child benefit cuts

The coalition's surprise decision to abolish universal child benefit attracted the anger of several Lib Dem ministers. And with good reason. During a pre-election Cameron Direct event, the Tory leader issued this "read my lips" pledge:

I'm not going to flannel you, I'm going to give it to you straight. I like the child benefit, I wouldn't change child benefit, I wouldn't means-test it, I don't think that is a good idea.

But with the Treasury warning that the plan to end the benefit for all higher-rate taxpayers is "unenforceable", Cameron may yet be forced to perform another U-turn.

3. No cuts to front-line services

On the weekend before the general election, Cameron memorably told Andrew Marr that a Conservative government would not cut any front-line services. He said:

What I can tell you is, any cabinet minister, if I win the election, who comes to me and says: "Here are my plans" and they involve front-line reductions, they'll be sent straight back to their department to go away and think again. After 13 years of Labour, there is a lot of wasteful spending, a lot of money that doesn't reach the front line.

But with front-line police facing cuts, an 80 per cent reduction in the university teaching budget and, today, new warnings of NHS cuts, Cameron's claim has quickly unravelled.

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Tags: David Cameron

More from George Eaton

View the discussion thread.

9 comments

Mon, 2010-12-27 14:19 — Clempo (not verified)

George, you forgot to mention the reductions in first line services that is happening in the UK's Maritime Rescue Organisation, namely the removal of the Maritime & Coastguard Agency's Emergency Towing Vessels next year. They have rescued many broken down vessels, including HMS Astute, around the coastline of the UK and prevented major oil pollution disasters occuring. The delays in the new Helicopter Rescue Contract that will affect the operation of search and rescue. The scrapping of the new Nimrod Air Sea Rescue/Anti-Submarine project that means that the UK Government does not have any dedicated Long Range Air Sea Rescue Aircraft and will have to pay our foreign allies to carry out this task if it is required. The reduction of HM Coastguard personnel by 38%. The reduction from 19 to 8 Coastguard Rescue Centres and only 2 of them will be open 24/7 with Dover Coastguard Station dealing with the Channel Navigation Radar Service. 7 other Coastguard Stations will only operate during daylight hours, even though the number of marine accidents/incidents has increased in the last 5 years by 24%. The lack of Coastguard Rescue Officer Volunteers who make up the vast bulk of the rescue front line coastal rescue organisation. The reduction in funding for marine safety seminars for schools and similar organisations is also having a detrimental effect on the service that HM Coastguard tries to provide to our country. No cuts to front line services, don't make me laugh. It is happening now and it will only get worse.

Mon, 2010-12-27 15:39 — ellieban (not verified)

I've never understood why we seem to think it's a good idea for MPs to be stubborn and inflexible in the face of an ever changing world. Surely what we should be supporting is agile policy making that responds quickly to new information?

I'm not saying I agree with these policy decisions, but surely sticking with a bad idea because it's what was promised before we were aware of all the facts is far worse for the nation than occasional U-turns?!

http://www.goingonabearhunt.com/2010/12/if-bus-drivers-never-made-a-u-turn/

Mon, 2010-12-27 15:43 — Lou (not verified)

His defence is always that his about turns are down to 'the mess Labour left us in' It doesn't wash now nine months in and it's something that he's not going to be able to continue using as his get out of jail clause for much longer.

Let's not forget the NHS,EMA, the Fire service, social care, the disabled amongst the list of u turns.

As I said before, I'm surprised any of the Cabinet can actually find their way to Parliament they must be so disorientated with the amount of uturns and directional changes they perform. Could they do one more about turn please, straight back to the ballot box so we can do our own U turn and get rid of the coalition government we inadvertently elected.

Mon, 2010-12-27 15:59 — Lou (not verified)

ellieban

It's about the rushing through of ill thought out and shambolic policy in the first place, like education, that requires so many u turns to put right in the facing of growing dissent and nothing to do with flexibility and response to new information. It's incompetency at the highest level that would be sackable incompetencies in a boardroom anywhere else.

Mon, 2010-12-27 16:22 — matthew fox (not verified)

U-turn's where to start.

2011 is going to be a hard year for the country. 2010 was a picnic, compared to what is going to happen.

Mon, 2010-12-27 16:33 — Dhru Shah (not verified)

Stop whining.
Labour has left such a big big mess that he has no choice!
He wants to help , but suddenly he realises that there is no money so he has to cut funding
Then he realises that the UK has so many spoilt welfare reliant people , students who can't be asked to work hard to pay for their education that he has no choice
Stop whining. If you were in his shoes, you wouldnt even be brave enough to accept your mistakes and make U turns. At least he has the balls too

Mon, 2010-12-27 16:53 — Graeme (not verified)

ellieban - the LibDems were planning to ditch promises before the election. Now that is not agile, it is deceit.

Mon, 2010-12-27 17:32 — Lou (not verified)

U turns by this coalition government are not about flexibility and agile policy, nor are u turns down to Labour's previous policies; they are purely and simply due to ill thought out, rushed through policy and incompetency on behalf of the government and it's advisers.

Wed, 2010-12-29 15:33 — John Hargrave (not verified)

Labour needed to spend huge amounts of money as the Tory cuts under Thatcher and Major left us in a right mess, exactly the same thing is happening again. Just watch the discontent amongst the population, see hospital waiting times rise, watch how many people will be out of work,observe the rise in benefit claimants. The poor get poorer whilst the rich get richer.