Unease over tax break for married couples

David Cameron is facing unrest among senior MPs over his pledge to give tax breaks to encourage marriage.

The Tory leader is being urged to widen the policy to give more financial help to unmarried parents.

Adopting a more inclusive approach would inevitably water down the impact of pro-marriage tax measures.

But senior MPs are concerned that if the Tory policy is too restrictive, Labour will be able to portray it as a "back to basics" attack on lone parents and unmarried couples.

Shadow chancellor George Osborne is understood to be the most senior Tory who has voiced worries on the issue.

However, several other shadow Cabinet ministers, including shadow Commons leader Theresa May, are also said to be wary that the fiscal support for marriage could leave their party vulnerable to accusations that they are abandoning needy families.

One senior Tory told the Standard that Mr Cameron appeared to be prepared to heed their warnings.

But they also fear the worsening economic conditions could restrict funds to reward marriage, and possibly other stable relationships, as the bedrock of society.

Shadow children's secretary Michael Gove has hinted at a compromise deal.

He recently warned against "jumping the gun" to the conclusion that party chiefs had their sights firmly on one of two measures proposed by Tory traditionalists - a transferable tax allowance which would benefit stay-at-home mothers or a simple tax allowance for married couples.

Instead, he suggested that the financial support could be more wide-ranging.

"If someone were to say to me that our policy were to lead to real disadvantage to any particular existing group, then we would have to look again," he said.

There is also a split between the more liberal MPs. Some support an increase in childcare to help more women to go back to work, while others favour a rise in child benefit which would make it easier for mothers to stay at home.

Mr Osborne has stressed that there is no disagreement over rewarding marriage through the tax system.