Theresa May avoids 2015 pledge but vows Tories party of 'lower taxes'

Theresa May speaks at Netherton Conservative Club in Dudley. Credit: PA

The Conservatives remain the party of "lower taxes", Theresa May has insisted, but refused to repeat the 2015 manifesto pledge not to put up income tax, VAT or national insurance.

Speaking at an election campaign event in the West Midlands, the Prime Minister said voters faced a choice in the General Election between "lower taxes under the Conservatives or higher taxes under Labour".

Yet Mrs May would not be drawn on whether the pledge at the last General Election not to raise taxes would be included in the Tory manifesto for the election on June 8.

The comments came after Chancellor Philip Hammond hinted he would like to ditch the pledge, suggesting he needed more "flexibility" when it came to managing the economy.

Philip Hammond has hinted he wants to drop the pledge to not raise taxes. Credit: PA

Despite polls suggesting the Conservatives have a 20-point lead over Labour, Mrs May insisted there was no room for complacency going into the campaign, and told supporters in Dudley: "We will be fighting for every single vote."

The Prime Minister has risked angering traditionalist Conservatives after she reaffirmed the Government's commitment to international aid spending while refusing to guarantee the "triple lock" for pensioners.

The "triple lock" guarantees the state pension increases each year by inflation, average earnings or 2.5% - whichever is highest.

Instead, Mrs May insisted the party had always been clear about the need to support people in old age and that pensioners were £1,250 a year better off as a result of actions taken by the Conservatives.

However, former party chairman Lord Tebbit told The Daily Telegraph: "It is a very bad start to the campaign to insist on increasing aid every year whilst there is not sufficient money for the NHS. It does not seem to make good politics to me."

In response the Liberal Democrats accused the Tories of "getting their betrayal in early" while Labour said they were abandoning the elderly.

Mr Corbyn, campaigning in the North West, said Labour would be using its 500,000 strong grassroots membership - the largest of any of the main parties - to get its message out to voters.

"This election is not a foregone conclusion. Labour's campaigning is off to a flying start," he said.

"We're using our membership strength to put thousands of people on the streets, knocking on doors and handing out leaflets to take our message direct to voters."