FORMER Conservative party leader William Hague went walkabout in Southampton as he ‎backed one of his party's candidates.

Speaking after a visit to Bitterne Precinct with Itchen candidate Royston Smith, he said his party's announcement for a "triple lock" on VAT, income tax and national insurance would give "certainty".

He said the plans, which would see the party legislate to prevent rises in the three taxes, would be introduced: "to show people that this is what would really happen and to make it very difficult to change.

"People need certainty this would happen. People are always quite sceptical about political promises and this shows it is certain there would be no increase in VAT, national insurance and income tax.

"This is benefit of turning the economy around and halving the deficit that we can make a commitment like that."

Labour and the Lib Dems had attacked the move as a "gimmick" and Labour claimed families would be cost up to £2,000 by Conservative tax credit rate reductions.

But Mr Hague said: "the Labour figures are nonsense and this is because they are assuming they are making bigger reductions in spending than we would have to make.

"We would freeze working age benefits including child working tax credits and we have brought inflation down to zero."