So the government, clinging on to power by its fingertips, has aped Conservative ideas on tax. Some say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. I say that plagiarism is scandalous ineptitude.

Its right that the Inheritance Tax threshold has been increased to £600,000, and that goes some way to the abolition that I called for at the Conservative Party Conference in 2006. But this year's Conservative plans for an IHT level of £1m were far more simple and fair than Alistair Darling's announcement today that he has even backdated in an amazing play at populism.

Simple and fair is a tax that people are content to pay. Gordon Brown has had ten years to make simple reforms to Inheritance Tax and he bottled it each and every time. So why rush it through in a panicked pre-budget report?

Then on Capital Gains Tax, the reforms are bungling and incompetent. The taper relief system encouraged long term ownership and stability. And the consistent rate between capital and income taxes ensured an honesty in how clever financial analysts structure their products.

In changing the CGT system today Labour has proved how little it understands the British economy, how little it understands small business, and how little it cares for honesty. With income taxed at up to 40% but gains taxed at 18%, well advised investors will make sure that they generate capital gains and not income. Treasury revenues will fall. And an honest tax system is blown apart.

Simpler, fairer and flatter taxes are what Britain cries out for. And there's only one party that has the conviction to deliver those. And that's not Balls.