Duncan Smith promises fairness for the 'backbone of Britain'

Iain Duncan Smith demanded fairness for the "backbone of Britain" yesterday in an attempt to woo middle-class voters who defected to Labour at the last two general elections.

Addressing the Conservative Party's spring forum in Harrogate, Mr Duncan Smith condemned Labour's record on public services and accused Tony Blair of betraying supporters with his tax policies.

In a clear hint that the Tories would be offering tax cuts at the next general election, he said: "Conservatives appreciate you have to be fair to the people who pay for the public services and for society's other responsibilities."

He insisted that there was no conflict between traditional Tory priorities of low tax and the "modernising" agenda of greater social inclusiveness and better public services.

"Our party, the party of Burke, Disraeli and Shaftesbury, fulfils its greatest purpose when it upholds fairness for every person in Britain. Not only for the disadvantaged, but for the hard-working, law-abiding, patriotic majority who deserve a fair deal too," he said.

He made an appeal to "one-nation" Conservatives, calling for "fairness for vulnerable people and fairness for the backbone of this country".

In the weeks before May's municipal elections, which the Tories will fight on a "fairness agenda", Mr Duncan Smith is accusing the Government of "squandering" its economic inheritance. "History will not judge it kindly, not least because history will be written by people who have to pay Labour's frightening top-up fees. It will be read by people who have to face up to the consequences of Labour's cynical raid on pensions. Labour isn't just hurting people now; it's stealing their futures. Many British people feel they have been taken for a ride."

Mr Duncan Smith criticised Labour's policy of target-setting. "The British soldiers of the First World War were described as lions led by donkeys," he said. "Today our public services are staffed by doctors and nurses, led by number-crunchers; teachers led by target-setters; police officers led by pen-pushers."

His speech came at the end of a sombre conference, which was overshadowed by the Iraq crisis, but also largely free from the intrigue that has dogged the Tory leadership in recent weeks.

At the conference, Liam Fox, the shadow Health Secretary, announced proposals for a new system of vouchers to allow patients to buy hospital treatment from the NHS, the voluntary sector or commercial hospitals. Dr Fox said the policy would increase capacity in the health service, but Labour immediately accused the Conservatives of imposing top-up charges on patients.

Under the proposals, patients would be able to use the vouchers at a hospital of their choice. Any extra cost in private hospitals would be covered by the individual or through commercial insurance. "It will become a realistic option for a much larger proportion of the population to have access to a very much wider range of healthcare providers than is now the case," Dr Fox said. "Those who choose to have their health care provided within the NHS will reap the benefit of shorter queues if more patients choose to access care elsewhere."

A Labour spokesman said: "The Tories' prescription for the health service wouldn't mean a single extra doctor or a single extra nurse for the NHS. No one will believe a word the Tories say on health so long as they remain committed to a 20 per cent cut across the board which threatens the jobs of NHS doctors and nurses."