�Moral case� for system to benefit married couples

Labour were yesterday accused of raiding Tory policies again after a Cabinet minister said the tax system should recognise married couples.

Chief secretary to the Treasury Andy Burnham signalled a shift in government thinking by arguing there was a "moral case" for promoting marriage.

His comments led shadow chancellor George Osborne to seize on the move as further proof that the Conservatives were setting the political agenda, while Labour left-wingers accused Gordon Brown's team of "disgracefully" aping the Tories.

It follows a series of moves by the government to marginalise the Tories by adopting similar policies on inheritance tax, air passenger duty and non-domiciles.

Last night a spokesman for the Catholic Church in Glasgow said any moves to recognise married couples in the tax system would be welcome.

"All the statistics prove that a stable marriage-based family offers the best start in life for children," he added.

The Rev Sandy Horsburgh, vice-convener of the Church of Scotland's church and society council, said the kirk shared Burnham's opinion on the value of marriage and welcomed support for married people.

"Tax advantages, however, are never going to be a good reason for couples to become or stay married," he added. "Marriage should be about giving love, commitment and care."

The Treasury later moved to quash suggestions that married couples could be in line for a tax boost under Labour and insisted there was no change of policy. However, Burnham's comments appeared at odds with previous statements about tax and the family.

In an interview, he said: "I think marriage is best for kids. I don't think the tax system is the reason people get married, nor is it the reason people stay together ... but it's not wrong that the tax system should recognise commitment and marriage."

Tory leader David Cameron has made tax incentives for marriage one of the central pledges of his pitch for power. But ministers have attacked the strategy because it would hit children whose parents are not married.

Gordon Brown even quoted the Bible in what was taken as criticism of the approach in his speech to the Labour Party conference last month.

"I stand for a Britain that supports as first class citizens not just some children and some families but supports all children and all families," he said.

"We all remember that biblical saying: suffer the little children to come unto me'. No Bible I have ever read says: bring just some of the children'."

But Burnham, acknowledging a move into Conservative territory, said the Tories should not be allowed to have a "monopoly" over "this kind of thinking".

"This is totally where Gordon is coming from; your roots and your family are everything," he added.

However, the Treasury issued a statement yesterday afternoon saying that Burnham's comments had been taken out of context and had been referring to inheritance tax changes in last Tuesday's Pre-Budget Report.

A move to allow married couples and civil partners to pass on their tax-free allowances will effectively double the threshold for those who are wed.

A spokesman said: "He did not indicate any changes to government policy and his views are entirely consistent with previously stated policy."

Shadow chancellor Osborne claimed the prime minister's "minions" were now accepting that Cameron was right to call for tax benefits for married couples. "This is further confirmation that we are in command of the agenda in British politics and the government doesn't know whether it is coming or going."

Burnham's comments drew criticism from the Labour left today, with Socialist Campaign Group chairman John McDonnell saying he was "staggered".

"This is another disgraceful attempt to ape the Tories and a dramatic shift from Labour's long-standing position of not making moral judgements on the issue of marriage and how people live their lives," he said.