Republican rivals clash on TV over tax and immigration

Republican presidential hopefuls clashed in their most acrimonious TV debate so far.

The audience in Las Vegas saw leading contenders Mitt Romney and Rick Perry attack each other over immigration and rivals turn on rising star Herman Cain over his radical tax reform proposals.

Former frozen pizza boss Mr Cain - who has never before stood for public office - faced a barrage of questions over his "9-9-9" plan. This would scrap the current tax code and replace it with a nine per cent income tax, nine per cent corporate tax, and a new nine per cent national sales tax.

Rivals said the plans would mean a huge number of middle-income Americans paying more - up to 84 per cent of people, under one analysis. Mr Cain said special interests groups who benefit from the current system were trying to prevent change.

Mr Perry accused Mr Romney of "the height of hypocrisy" on immigration control, over reports that a gardening firm he had hired employed illegal migrants. Mr Romney hit back at the Texas governor: "Texas has had a 60 per cent increase in illegal immigrants. If there's someone who has a record that doesn't stand up, it's you."