SO Chancellor George Osborne tells the BBC’s Politics Show that no politician likes to raise taxes.

Well, he could have fooled me, especially when it comes to VAT.

In 1973, Tory Ted Heath introduced VAT at eight per cent. At the 1979 General Election, Maggie Thatcher stated she had absolutely no intention of doubling VAT.

She didn’t. In 1980, she raised it from eight to 15 per cent – not quite double, but enough to make her statement a barefaced lie.

Tory John Major said at the 1992 General Election he would not increase VAT, won the election and put it up from 15 to 17.5 per cent as a “temporary” measure. He never reduced it.

At last year’s General Election, both the Tories and their Liberal Democrat fags were “resolutely” against VAT increases. Remember the Lib Dem “Tory VAT bomb”

posters?

The Tory-led coalition raises VAT to a record 20 per cent. This, despite David Cameron telling a “Cameron Direct” meeting in Exeter in 2009, referring to VAT: “It hits the poorest hardest. It does. I absolutely promise you.”

Come off it, Mr Osborne.

Like previous Tory governments you’re all VAT rise junkies. It’s your tax of preference, but like your predecessors you don’t like telling the public the truth, do you?

Charlie Kay, Bishop Auckland.