THIS week David Cameron claimed that Gordon Brown has stolen all their policies, but the truth is even more surprising.
Under David Cameron there has developed a remarkable similarity between the Conservative policy-making process and that of the Liberal Democrats.
Liberal Democrat policies are voted for by members at conference. At the same time Tory policies are also voted for by Lib Dem members at the Lib Dem Conference.
I was there and voted for these three myself.
* Charging aviation tax on planes, not passengers (passed by Liberal Democrat conference in 2004)
* Taxing non-domiciles (passed by Liberal Democrat conference in 2007)
* Increasing the inheritance tax threshold (passed by Liberal Democrat conference in 2007)
For the Tories to be complaining about the Government stealing their policies is like a gang of thieves protesting about their houses being burgled. It is a shame Labour and the Conservatives did not go further and steal our policies on areas of tax policy which neither is willing to tackle.
Measures to help the poorest in society or alternatives to the discredited council tax, which is now due to rise at double the rate of inflation, would be a start. Only the Liberal Democrats are arguing for a substantial switch from taxes on income to taxes on pollution.
Alan Beddow Liberal Democrat Parliamentary spokesperson Warwick and Leamington
