John Perry, Dudley North

Target seat no 103


"I think it's a combination of being open minded and willing to contemplate radical solutions compared with the present government. Some of these are a return to values that were probably disregarded 10 to 12 years ago and others come from other parts of the world, other politics that we think we can adapt to service the people of Britain. It's about practical and pragmatic solutions to problems that are faced by families throughout the country."


"The general public doesn't like yah-boo politics; people see through that. It's not sensible or realistic to offer tax cuts when the country cannot afford them. Nobody is going to believe you when you say: 'We are going to give you tax cuts but we don't know how we are going to pay for them.' I want to see help in creating an economy. Politicians don't do that, businesses do, but politicians can help. What matters is taking enough tax to deliver the services that people want but no more [tax] than is necessary.

"I would like to see people on the minimum wage and in the poorest paid jobs get the tax breaks – that used to be called raising the tax allowance in the old days – it's not something new that was possible 20 to 25 years ago."

(a) cuts in public spending, or
(b) increases in other taxes

See answer to Q2.


"The key thing is fiscal neutrality. If some taxes go up for 'green' policies then others must fall provided there is enough money to pay for services. There must be a sliding scale so people don't lose out."

(a) substantially lower – at least 2 percentage points
(b) slightly lower
(c) much the same as it is now
(d) higher

"I would like to see taxes reduced in the medium term by a couple of percentage points but we need to get our feet under the table first and study the books first."


"In many ways we have gained but Europe in 2008 is not the common market free trade organisation that we joined in the 1970s; it's too supranational and federalist. It was never designed for that and we need to make sure we start to reorganising or relationship on those lines."


"Marriage needs strengthening. That's, to a degree, judgmental Toryism of 25 years ago, but it's true. European countries recognise marriage in the tax system. It's a joke that married couples living apart receive more money than those who live together. Whatever shape the family takes and they take all shapes now, they should receive better support in terms of tax and benefits."

"[What about same-sex families?] I take the old-fashioned view whatever it is as long as its legal its none of my business."


"I would have gone for a reduction to 20 or 22 weeks on the grounds that medical science can do so much more for babies to keep them alive now."

Interview by Mark Gould