On the eve of the Conservative conference a fortnight ago Francis Maude averred that “You will look in vain through three Thatcher manifestos for any commitment to cut taxes.”

Guido thought that was odd at the time. Maggie certainly made a big song and dance about cutting taxes if a short-trousered Guido remembered correctly. Guido is grateful* to Mark Pack (the LibDem e-campaigner) for scanning in this from page 13 of the 1979 Conservative Manifesto. *Am also grateful to Mark for sending Guido the “G W Bush paper doll book” last year. Cryptic isn’t he?