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Cameron says Brown 'looks phoney' Cameron says Brown 'looks phoney'
(30 minutes later)
Conservative leader David Cameron has said Gordon Brown looks like "a phoney" as they go head-to-head in their first Commons battle since July. Conservative leader David Cameron has said Gordon Brown looks like "a phoney" as they went head-to-head in their first Commons battle since July.
The clash comes with the PM facing claims he "bottled" a snap election - and stole Tory policy ideas on tax. The clash came with the PM facing claims he "bottled" a snap election - and stole Tory policy ideas on tax.
Mr Cameron said the PM was treating people "like fools" by denying opinion polls led to him to reject a snap poll.Mr Cameron said the PM was treating people "like fools" by denying opinion polls led to him to reject a snap poll.
But Mr Brown pointed to the grammar school row and said he would take "no lessons" from Mr Cameron.But Mr Brown pointed to the grammar school row and said he would take "no lessons" from Mr Cameron.
Mr Brown's half hour grilling from Mr Cameron and other MPs began at noon. Find a bit of courage, get a bit of bottle, get into his car, go down to Buckingham Palace and call that election David Cameron class="" href="/1/hi/uk_politics/7037475.stm">Key Points: Commons clash
We're being chased around by a rather tired and desperate and cynical government who after 10 years in office has nothing to say for itself George OsborneShadow chancellor Preview: Brown vs Cameron
Since his weekend decision not to hold a general election Mr Brown has sought to regain the political initiative with statements on Iraq and on his government's tax and longer-term spending plans.Since his weekend decision not to hold a general election Mr Brown has sought to regain the political initiative with statements on Iraq and on his government's tax and longer-term spending plans.
But those tax plans - on inheritance tax, "non-doms" and green taxes on flights - have prompted accusations from both the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats that their policies have been stolen.But those tax plans - on inheritance tax, "non-doms" and green taxes on flights - have prompted accusations from both the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats that their policies have been stolen.
Shadow chancellor George Osborne told the BBC on Wednesday the Tories were full of energy and ideas and had shown that they were clearly "in the driving seat". In the Commons, Mr Brown faced a volley of abuse from Mr Cameron, who accused him of lacking courage and "bottle".
"We're being chased around by a rather tired and desperate and cynical government who after 10 years in office has nothing to say for itself," he said. 'Flunk an election'
Other pre-budget fall-out includes:
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The Tory leader mocked the prime minister for denying that he would not have called an election even if the polls showed he would have secured a 100 seat majority.
  • The Kings Fund says Mr Darling signalled that the government wants to end means testing for elderly people in care homes and for care of the disabled.
    		• "Do you expect anyone to believe that?" asked Mr Cameron.
  • Insurers say the government has let down millions of homeowners and businesses by failing to give enough cash to flood defences.
    		• KEY POINTS: PRE-BUDGET Growth forecast cut by 0.5%Tax receipts down by £1.8bn, public sector net borrowing up by £4.3bnInheritance tax threshold raised to £600,000 for married people or those in civil partnershipsCrackdown pledged on "non-domicile" tax payers10% tax rate on private equity capital gains abolished so private equity bosses pay moreGreen taxes on flights not passengers from 2009 class="" href="/1/hi/uk_politics/7034399.stm">Pre-Budget coverage
  • The Local Government Association has warned of above-inflation council tax rises following "the worst settlement for local government in a decade".
    		• "You are the first prime minister in history to flunk an election because you thought you could win it."
    In his statement, Mr Darling targeted private equity bosses and "non-domiciles", and pledged to switch green air taxes to flights, not passengers. He mocked Mr Brown's book entitled Courage, saying: "Do you realise what a phoney you now look? Have you found a single person who believes your excuses for cancelling the election?"
    But he was accused by the Tories - who unveiled policies in all these areas last week - of being in a "panic" after their recent opinion poll surge. He pressed the prime minister to say if the draft pre-Budget report that was written before the Conservatives' conference had included plans to cut inheritance tax or on levying non domiciles.
    Mr Darling also downgraded the UK's growth forecast for 2008 by 0.5%. Mr Brown responded that the government had raised the exemption on inheritance tax on 10 occasions since 1997.
    KEY POINTS Growth forecast cut by 0.5%Tax receipts down by £1.8bn, public sector net borrowing up by £4.3bnInheritance tax threshold raised to £600,000 for married people or those in civil partnershipsCrackdown pledged on "non-domicile" tax payers10% tax rate on private equity capital gains abolished so private equity bosses pay moreGreen taxes on flights not passengers from 2009 He said the Tory leader would have to explain why the Conservatives' plans would only generate £650m rather than the £3.5bn that they claimed.
    And he doubled to £600,000 the amount a married couple can leave to their children without paying inheritance tax - by making the current £300,000 allowance transferable. The measure will be backdated "indefinitely" - and it will increase to £700,000 by 2010. Lib Dems claim ideas
    Last week the Conservatives unveiled plans to exempt estates under £1m from inheritance tax, and to pay for it with an annual £25,000 charge on "non domiciled" wealthy foreigners. Mr Brown said he would not take lectures from a man who had been for grammar schools, VAT on air fares and museum charges and then went against them.
    But Mr Darling rejected claims he had stolen Conservative policy plans and said he had been working on the changes he made in the Commons on Tuesday since he became chancellor. Mr Cameron said if the prime minister had questions about Tory plans he should "find a bit of courage, get a bit of bottle, get into his car, go down to Buckingham Palace and call that election".
    'Promising the earth'?
    No-one had a monopoly on one particular idea or another, he said.
    "We must be very careful about getting into a situation, as the Tories have done, of practically promising the earth. I'm not going to do that," he told the BBC.
    HAVE YOUR SAY Quite clearly the government are rattled. They have run out of ideas, and copying the Conservatives Chubby, Edinburgh Send us your commentsHAVE YOUR SAY Quite clearly the government are rattled. They have run out of ideas, and copying the Conservatives Chubby, Edinburgh Send us your comments
    Liberal Democrat treasury spokesman, Vincent Cable, told BBC News 24 that Labour had actually stolen their ideas, rather than Conservative ideas. Earlier Liberal Democrat treasury spokesman, Vincent Cable, told BBC News 24 that Labour had actually stolen their ideas, rather than Conservative ideas.
    He said: "Most of these policies were set out by the Liberal Democrats. We had set out this policy on changing the basis of aviation tax, the Tories pinched it from us and now the government have pinched it from them.He said: "Most of these policies were set out by the Liberal Democrats. We had set out this policy on changing the basis of aviation tax, the Tories pinched it from us and now the government have pinched it from them.
    "I mean for the Tories to be bellyaching about it, it's like a gang of thieves complaining about their houses being burgled. "I mean for the Tories to be bellyaching about it, it's like a gang of thieves complaining about their houses being burgled."
    "Similarly all this stuff on non-domiciled investors, we did the hard work on that... so let's get the record straight first."