Labour's pledge on tax

Labour's election manifesto will promise not to raise income tax rates - but it will refuse to rule out so-called stealth taxes, it emerged today.

Tony Blair and Gordon Brown are expected to repeat the same formula they used in the 2001 and 1997 elections, which is to pledge no increase in the basic or top rates of tax.

The disclosure comes after the Tories claimed Labour was planning postelection tax rises to fill what they said was an ?8 billion "hole" in the Government's finances.

The Government has been accused of resorting to stealth taxes including rises in petrol duty, stamp duty and National Insurance to