Conservative MPs today put more pressure on David Cameron to set a date for a tax break for married couples.
They renewed their campaign after Treasury Minister David Gauke wrote to MPs promising that legislation would be brought forward before the 2015 general election.
However, Government sources refused to give a commitment today that a tax break would be introduced or that the legislation would be enacted before voters go to the polls.
Former children’s minister Tim Loughton MP said: “Trotting out the ‘in due course’ mantra is not good enough.”
He added: “If this idea was good enough for our manifesto and the Coalition Agreement, why doesn’t the Government do it right away?”
Another former minister, Gerald Howarth, said he would be looking for it to be included in the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement.
He said: “We stuck to the commitment on overseas aid. The Government has forced through gay marriage. Why is this commitment such a difficult one to fulfil?”
Under one idea backed by senior Tories, the tax perk would be worth £150.
It would involve a transferable tax allowance for non-working spouses of basic rate taxpayers. However, no details have been confirmed.
The coalition agreement says Liberal Democrat MPs will be free to abstain in any vote, casting a doubt over the Conservatives’ ability to deliver.
