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| Tories consider marriage tax plan | Tories consider marriage tax plan |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| All married couples would qualify for a £20-a-week tax break, under proposals being considered by the Conservatives. | All married couples would qualify for a £20-a-week tax break, under proposals being considered by the Conservatives. |
| It is one of 200 proposals put forward by a Tory policy group headed by former party leader Iain Duncan Smith. | It is one of 200 proposals put forward by a Tory policy group headed by former party leader Iain Duncan Smith. |
| Others include higher benefit payments of £32-a-week for married parents to bring them into line with lone parents. | Others include higher benefit payments of £32-a-week for married parents to bring them into line with lone parents. |
| Labour believes the Tory proposals would be unfair on the children of single parents or those whose parents choose not to marry. | |
| The Conservatives are expected to adopt some ideas, but reject others. The policy group says the cost, more than £6bn, could be met by tougher welfare rules. | |
| The BBC's political editor Nick Robinson said the most controversial proposals around marriage amounted to "tough love" for lone parents, but greater help for those who are married. | The BBC's political editor Nick Robinson said the most controversial proposals around marriage amounted to "tough love" for lone parents, but greater help for those who are married. |
| 'Big risk' | 'Big risk' |
| He said if David Cameron chose to back the policies, it would be one of the biggest risks he has taken since becoming party leader. | He said if David Cameron chose to back the policies, it would be one of the biggest risks he has taken since becoming party leader. |
| The transferable tax allowance, worth around £20-a-week, would be open to all married couples - aimed at making it easier for one parent to remain at home to look after children or elderly relatives. | The transferable tax allowance, worth around £20-a-week, would be open to all married couples - aimed at making it easier for one parent to remain at home to look after children or elderly relatives. |
| We need a big cultural change in favour of fatherhood, in favour of parenting, in favour of marriage David Cameron | We need a big cultural change in favour of fatherhood, in favour of parenting, in favour of marriage David Cameron |
| If applied to all married couples, it would cost the Exchequer £3.2bn a year. | If applied to all married couples, it would cost the Exchequer £3.2bn a year. |
| Among other proposals will be a rise in the tax on alcohol to tackle binge drinking and for failing state schools to be run by charities and parents. | Among other proposals will be a rise in the tax on alcohol to tackle binge drinking and for failing state schools to be run by charities and parents. |
| The final findings of Mr Duncan Smith's Breakdown Britain report will be published on Tuesday. | The final findings of Mr Duncan Smith's Breakdown Britain report will be published on Tuesday. |
| It is also likely to call for cannabis - which was downgraded from a class B to a class C drug - to be made class B again. | It is also likely to call for cannabis - which was downgraded from a class B to a class C drug - to be made class B again. |
| Failing schools | Failing schools |
| It will call for state schools which are judged to be "failing", to be taken over by parents and charities, while pupils in disadvantaged schools should get £500 for extra tuition - academic, musical or sport. | It will call for state schools which are judged to be "failing", to be taken over by parents and charities, while pupils in disadvantaged schools should get £500 for extra tuition - academic, musical or sport. |
| The policy group published an interim report on poverty in December and warned an underclass was being "left behind" by the rest of society. | The policy group published an interim report on poverty in December and warned an underclass was being "left behind" by the rest of society. |
| The Conservatives have concluded that mending what they call Britain's "broken society" should be their top priority - rather than their traditional emphasis on tax and crime. | The Conservatives have concluded that mending what they call Britain's "broken society" should be their top priority - rather than their traditional emphasis on tax and crime. |
| In my view, the debate is not about marriage versus lone parents Tony Blair in February | In my view, the debate is not about marriage versus lone parents Tony Blair in February |
| They say they want to put an end to the economic cost of "social malaise" - debt and addiction, welfare dependency, family breakdown and education failure. | They say they want to put an end to the economic cost of "social malaise" - debt and addiction, welfare dependency, family breakdown and education failure. |
| Party leader David Cameron has already said he wants to encourage more voluntary and community action to deal with social breakdown. | Party leader David Cameron has already said he wants to encourage more voluntary and community action to deal with social breakdown. |
| On Sunday he told the BBC there was something "deeply wrong" with society which needed "long-term generational change". | On Sunday he told the BBC there was something "deeply wrong" with society which needed "long-term generational change". |
| He also wants changes to the tax and benefits system to favour marriage. | He also wants changes to the tax and benefits system to favour marriage. |
| "We need a big cultural change in favour of fatherhood, in favour of parenting, in favour of marriage," he said. | "We need a big cultural change in favour of fatherhood, in favour of parenting, in favour of marriage," he said. |
| He is expected to welcome the proposals but stop short of announcing any specific policy. | He is expected to welcome the proposals but stop short of announcing any specific policy. |
| Former prime minister Tony Blair has said that dealing with problem families was not a question of "marriage versus lone parents". | Former prime minister Tony Blair has said that dealing with problem families was not a question of "marriage versus lone parents". |
| He said marriage was "a good thing" but said problems were not limited to single parent families. | He said marriage was "a good thing" but said problems were not limited to single parent families. |
| In February he said: "In my view, the debate is not about marriage versus lone parents. | In February he said: "In my view, the debate is not about marriage versus lone parents. |
| "The debate is about how you target measures specifically on those families some of whom will be lone parents - but some of whom will be couples." | "The debate is about how you target measures specifically on those families some of whom will be lone parents - but some of whom will be couples." |