WORCESTER MP Robin Walker has hailed a multi-million pound tax cut - 18 months after he first set out his support for it.

David Cameron has announced a tax giveaway to try and entice floating voters ahead of next year's General Election, meaning the lowest paid will have to earn more than £12,500 before any deductions start to kick in.

The move, part of a £7 billion gamble, will mean the tax threshold being raised by £2,000.

Back in April 2013 we revealed how Mr Walker stuck his neck out by arguing for a tax cut, going as far as suggesting higher earners should pay more to help those at the bottom.

The city Conservative has argued that the basic threshold should rise to around the same level as a full-time worker on the minimum wage would earn, which is around £12,500.

The Prime Minister has also tried to appease those earning more by setting out plans to raise the 40p tax threshold to those getting over £50,000.

Despite Mr Cameron having yet to reveal when or how fast the new thresholds would kick in under a Tory Government, Mr Walker said the policy has his backing.

He said: "As a moderate one-nation Conservative I welcome the fact that future changes in taxation from the Conservative Party are working from the bottom up and not the top down.

"I am proud to have been ahead of the game in calling for this change in Parliament.

"I'm delighted that the Prime Minister and Chancellor have listened and am eager to fight the coming election on a platform of progressive Conservatism, rooted in aspiration and a firm belief in rewarding hard work."

Some economists suggested today that the move would have to lead to billions of pounds of savings elsewhere if the party wanted to reach a budget surplus by 2018, which is Mr Cameron's stated aim.

During the Tory conference, which was in Birmingham, MP Walker took part in a fringe debate with The Children's Society about offering financial education in schools.

He also took part in a breakfast event with the Centre for Social Justice on the same theme, and was speaker at a bash by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) over saving pubs and keeping beer duty low.