"If today's National Party 'policy launch' is going to be as bizarrely entertaining as yesterday's I wish they'd invite me," says Labour campaign spokesperson Pete Hodgson.

"Jenny Shipley and Bill English resembled the classic pantomime donkey, with each end heading in a different direction.

"Mrs Shipley says a cutting both company tax and the top personal tax rate is a promise. But Mr English is not so sure. He say's it's just a possibility.

"The New Zealand Herald says Mr English told it as recently as the weekend that cutting both rates would be too expensive in the next term. But Mrs Shipley has apparently turned him around.

"Clearly she is at the front end of the donkey and he is at the dark end.

"National has berated Labour for proposing to separate the top personal tax rate from the company tax rate, but now that holy grail is off the stage. Mr English says a difference is okay, as long as it's not indefinite.

"As for Mr English's promise of a dollar more social spending for every dollar cut in tax, that seems to have gone up in a puff of smoke. Where's that $800 million of new spending going to go? What are the chances that tax-slashing, budget-freezing Act will agree?

"The business audience will be wondering with me what comes next. Max Bradford in a knife-throwing act is the only thing I'd want to miss."

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