Less tax, better services
From Mr Stephan Shakespeare Sir: It's easy to say what's wrong with the Tories, but more difficult to come up with solutions. Michael Gave (It's still the "nasty party" ' , 26 April) does the easy bit very well. As for solutions, his main advice to Conservatives is 'Don't mention tax'. Talking about tax is apparently `nasty'. This is based on the most superficial of polling evidence. Mr Gove says that what the voters really want is better public services. Of course they do. That is a reason to talk about tax, not to hide from the issue. If higher taxes appear not to be delivering better public services, then surely an opposition must show how it can make the taxpayers' pound more productive. It would be strange and irresponsible for an opposition not to talk about it. After ail, it is at the centre of what governments are supposed to do.
Stephan Shakespeare Head of Opinion Research, YouGov, London
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