Alastair Darling seems to have decided to split the difference between the status quo and the Tory proposals on inheritance tax. A big reversal from last year when he told The Times

“Inheritance tax brings in about £3 billion a year. If you get rid of it, it follows that some other tax has to go up or you have to cut some public spending, on health and education and so on…Ninety per cent of estates don’t pay it, it is paid by 6 per cent, and I don’t think this proposal really has much support across the political spectrum. The Tories and the Liberals have looked at it and backed off from it. It may make for a headline, but I don’t think it makes for a prudent and sensible tax and spend policy.”

Quite a big U-turn by Darling. It is as if he has vicariously brought George Osborne into the “government of all the talents”…