Cameron playing it cool on Tory tax cut promise

MPs and economists urged him to promise middle-class voters lower taxes.

Despite trailing ten points in the polls, Mr Cameron pledged to ease the tax burden on the hard-working individual - but said these must be "sustainable" and funded by environmental green levies on car and air travel.

In his first comments since the publication of the party's report on tax and economic competitiveness last week, Mr Cameron said: "We believe in lower taxes.

"We think we need to rebalance the tax system, putting up taxes on pollution, on air travel, on gas-guzzling cars so that we can cut taxes on Britain's families."

The Tory leadership prepared the ground for a snap election by signalling their support for key recommendations in the report, drawn up by former cabinet minister John Redwood.

The proposals would see tax cuts of more than £21billion, including scrapping inheritance tax, cutting stamp duty on shares and property and raising thresholds for higher rates of income tax.

MPs on the right of the party stressed taxes should be the key to victory.

Dr Liam Fox, Tory defence spokesman, said: "We wonder whether there's any end of the level of tax we have to pay. That would be a great issue to raise at the general election."

Ruth Lea, of the right-leaning Centre for Policy Studies think tank, said it was crucial Mr Cameron did not ignore tax.

She said: "Whilst I perfectly well understand the reasons for David's re-branding of the party image, basic principles behind Conservatism should surely drive his agenda forward."

Meanwhile, a leaked draft of the Conservatives' policy report on quality of life and the environment proposes an extra three bank holidays a year and the publication of "tranquillity maps" identifying areas with the lowest noise pollution, according to Channel 4 News.