The shadow business secretary has claimed that a reduction to inheritance tax is not a high priority for the Conservatives.
Conservative plans to cut inheritance tax appear to have been put on the backburner, following a statement by the shadow business secretary.
Kenneth Clarke told the BBC's Politics Show that his party would mainly focus on reducing debt and stoking growth, assuming it comes into power at the next general election. The Tories are currently ahead of Labour in most opinion polls, with the short positive bounce in public support experienced by the latter during the onset of the banking crisis now over.
Shadow chancellor George Osborne had told the Conservative party conference in 2007 that the threshold for inheritance tax would be raised from £300,000 to £1 million under a Tory government. However, at this time most commentators expected that a general election would be called and it now appears that the Conservatives are focusing elsewhere.
"I don't think we are going around any longer saying this is something we are going to do the moment we take power," Mr Clarke told the programme. "We will have to consider when we can afford to do that. I don't think anyone is saying any different to that."
Mr Clarke was brought back into the shadow cabinet by Conservative leader David Cameron in January after a number of years on the backbenches.
