What will it happen to the Uk if the tories raise vat to 20% in a recession?

Anything Ken Clarke says about Conservative policy should be viewed with scepticism as he is well outspoken on his views that don't necessarily tow the party line. However, if there is substance in this hearsay, he would unlikely to happen until 2011 at the very earliest. Cuts to the deficit will come by cutting spending among public services. The alternative to raising VAT would be to increase income tax, this would be more appropriate as it targets specific tax thresholds and thus would eliminate alienating low income families. I think it is a safe umption that these issues are going to be hard for any political party to introduce and I doubt they would be introduced in the first year of office.