10/07/2007
Conservatives aim to fix 'broken society'
Conservative leader David Cameron has signalled his intention to shake-up the tax and benefits system to boost marriage with a £20-a-week tax break, as part of his campaign to fix Britain's "broken society".
A Tory report highlighted the need to tackle the high levels of teenage pregnancies, failing schools, drug abuse, and crime afflicting the country.
Mr Cameron said: "We need to go right through our tax and benefits system and ask ourselves why it is encouraging people to live separately."
Referring to the way many couples choose to live together outside marriage, Mr Cameron said that was a matter of choice and "absolutely their decision". But he stated: "The point I am making is that marriage is a good institution. It should be supported. It should be recognised in the tax system."
Mr Cameron, speaking ahead of the publication of a report drawn up by party's social justice policy review group chaired by former leader Iain Duncan Smith, said that despite Britain's economic success, something was "deeply wrong" with its society, with family breakdown at the heart of the problem.
Mr Duncan Smith's report, estimated the cost of these social breakdowns at £102 billion-a-year. Detailing 200 recommendations, the report's tax-break proposal for married couples would cost £3.2 billion.
Labour said that the proposals would be discriminatory against single parents and unmarried couples with children.
(SP/JM)
A Tory report highlighted the need to tackle the high levels of teenage pregnancies, failing schools, drug abuse, and crime afflicting the country.
Mr Cameron said: "We need to go right through our tax and benefits system and ask ourselves why it is encouraging people to live separately."
Referring to the way many couples choose to live together outside marriage, Mr Cameron said that was a matter of choice and "absolutely their decision". But he stated: "The point I am making is that marriage is a good institution. It should be supported. It should be recognised in the tax system."
Mr Cameron, speaking ahead of the publication of a report drawn up by party's social justice policy review group chaired by former leader Iain Duncan Smith, said that despite Britain's economic success, something was "deeply wrong" with its society, with family breakdown at the heart of the problem.
Mr Duncan Smith's report, estimated the cost of these social breakdowns at £102 billion-a-year. Detailing 200 recommendations, the report's tax-break proposal for married couples would cost £3.2 billion.
Labour said that the proposals would be discriminatory against single parents and unmarried couples with children.
(SP/JM)
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