May's surprise decision to call an election on June 8 has raised speculation that her Conservative 2017 manifesto will abandon commitments not to raise the rate of value-added tax, income tax or the national insurance payroll tax in order to help reduce the budget deficit.
Appearing at a campaign event in central England, May refused to say whether she could rule out higher taxes when asked three times by reporters. "At this election people are going to have a very clear choice, between a Conservative Party which always has been, is and will continue to be a party that believes in lower taxes.
Copyright Reuters, 2017