Clarke in married tax break gaffe

Clarke, a Minister without Portfolio, said he would not "count on" the Conservatives fulfilling their manifesto pledge to allow spouses to share their tax allowance before 2015, in an interview with the Telegraph. The pledge, made while the Tories were in opposition, could be worth as much as £150 a year to married couples. It would apply where one spouse stayed at home. Clarke said he had revised his opinion that Britain's economy would recover by 2013 or 2014, saying that a "long hard road" still lay ahead and years' more austerity might be needed. When asked whether this meant t...