article_snippet.sent: In an interview Chancellor George Osborne repeatedly refused to rule out trying to balance the books by lowering the amount workers have to earn before the amount workers pay the higher income tax rate.
article_snippet.sent: Shadow chancellor Ed Balls, pictured giving a speech in Glasgow today, has repeatedly refused to rule out using the point at which the higher income tax rate kicks in to raise money to balance the books .
article_snippet.sent: But pressed on income tax, Mr Balls refused to rule out freezing or lowering the threshold to raise millions from people earning more than £41,865.
article_snippet.sent: In an interview on ITV Westcountry, Mr Balls was asked if was 'leaving the door open tonight to changing the tax thresholds that mean people in that 40 per cent bracket could be paying more tax under you'.
article_snippet.sent: Chancellor George Osborne refused to rule it out: 'What I would like to do is find ways in which I could have fewer people in the 40 per cent tax bracket.
article_snippet.sent: Chancellor George Osborne said Chancellor George Osborne would not be 'raising the higher rate of income tax' but left open the possibility of holding or lowering the point at which it kicks in. '
article_snippet.sent: What I cannot do is go through every detail of the tax system.
article_snippet.sent: Pressed on whether he plans to change the income tax bands, Mr Balls said: 'I can't go through every detail.'
article_snippet.sent: he went on: 'I can make a promise not to increase the basic rate of income tax or the higher rate of income tax.
article_snippet.sent: Chancellor George Osborne has confirmed that Chancellor George Osborne and Ed Miliband will put up taxes on middle Britain.
article_snippet.sent: Ed Miliband claims it is wrong that millions of people doing normal jobs like teaching are now paying a tax rate that was 'only ever meant for the better off'.
article_snippet.sent: Workers would also pay no income tax on the first £12,500 Workers earn.
article_snippet.sent: When we make tax promises, such as introducing a lower 10p starting rate of tax to help millions on middle and low incomes, we have set out where the money is coming from. '
article_snippet.sent: Working people are paying more under this government, which is why the only tax changes we are proposing are on the very richest in society like reversing the Tory tax cut for millionaires.'
highlights_snippet.sent: Chancellor George Osborne refuses to rule out using threshold to raise money .
  
highlights_snippet.sent: Vows not to hike income tax rate but not trapping more people in 40p rate .
  