A key Conservative frontbench spokesperson has said that the Conservative Party remains committed to giving married couples tax breaks if they are elected in next year’s election.
And shadow universities, skills and families secretary David Willetts has also suggested that they would scrap the UK’s tax individualisation system, thereby allowing stay-at-home mothers to transfer tax breaks to their husbands.
Mr Willetts, a key member of Tory leader David Cameron’s team, made the announcement despite the party’s plans for sharp cuts in public spending.
Income tax breaks for married couples were scrapped by Gordon Brown in 1999. Speaking at the Conservative Party conference, Mr Willetts, the shadow Families minister, indicated that married couples would be no longer be taxed individually.
The Conservatives have previously only said that marriage would be recognised in the tax and benefit system but the latest comments provide far more detail on the scheme.
Mr Willetts said: “When people make a public commitment to support each other it is right for the tax system to recognise it. Some countries treat us just as individuals for income tax purposes. That is what they do in Turkey and in Mexico too.
“Labour may believe in the Turkish-Mexican model but most other advanced Western countries do recognise marriage in the income tax system. That is what they do in France. That’s what they do in Germany. That’s what they do in the USA. And that’s what we’ll do too.”
Ireland also has a system of tax individualisation, which can cost single income families up to €6,240 a year in extra tax.
Mr Willetts’ comments suggest that the Conservatives will allow married couples to transfer at least part of their tax-free allowance to their partner.
Mr Brown scrapped the married couples’ tax allowance which allowed couples to earn an extra £1,970 before paying tax. The perk, which was eroded in value over several years, was worth about £200 when it was scrapped.
Meanwhile, the Conservatives families spokeswoman, Maria Miller, has said that the Tories are ”unashamedly” supporters of marriage.
Mrs Miller said it was proven that marriage provides a ”stable” framework but denied the party wanted to go back to a 1950s-style ideal of family life.
Mrs Miller told the Conservative Party conference : ”More than nine out of ten 15-year-olds want to get married at some point in their lives.
”The Conservative Party unashamedly supports families, unashamedly supports marriage and this is what people aspire to and the Conservative Party have always been the party of aspiration.
”Marriage provides a sort of stable framework for our lives and, with the evidence right in front of us, it is madness not to support marriage. That is why we are committed to introducing the recognition of marriage in the tax and benefit system.”
