Brown lets slip that NI is a tax

TS would like you to cast your mind back to 17 April 2002. On that momentous day, Gordon Brown risked the wrath of the nation by increasing national insurance contributions.

This was, of course, an increase in the generous contributions made by the British public for the greater good of the NHS. It was not, TS is sure you'll agree, a tax rise, because the government had promised not to raise taxes.

But with the hike now in effect, and everyone concerning themselves with far more interesting things, such as Saddam-spotting, Brown quietly let the cat out of the bag during this year's Budget speech. 'We now plan, paid for by the NI tax rise, by 2008, 80,000 more nurses than 1997,' he purred. Oops.