Tories get tough to claw back cash
The Tories are considering ending tax credits for high-earning households and introducing tolls on new roads as they tackle the "daunting" public finances.
David Cameron said that the "wealthy" would have to pay their share under a Conservative government trying to bring down the massive national debt.
"In saying to the country that we need to reduce public spending, we need to get the budget balance under control, we've got to be able to demonstrate to people that this is fair and seen to be fair and that everyone is putting their shoulder to the wheel," the Tory leader told BBC1's Andrew Marr Show.
"And that means the wealthy have to pay their fair share," he added.
Mr Cameron said that, apart from the health and overseas aid budgets, which are to be ringfenced, there would be "very proper savings" in departmental budgets, besides the scrapping of identity cards and regional government bureaucracy.
Pressed for areas in which the Tories might raise taxes, he reiterated previous remarks that tax credits for households earning more than £50,000 a year were difficult to justify.
He also said the Tories were "happy to look at road tolls", describing the M6 toll road as a Conservative idea and a "great success".
He indicated that a Tory pledge to cut inheritance tax might not be implemented for several years and that scrapping the new 50p top rate of tax on higher-earners, to be introduced by Labour next year would not be a priority.
Mr Cameron said the scale of the challenge on the public finances is "incredibly daunting".
He said he cannot remember an opposition leader who "has looked the British public in the eye and said we are going to cut public spending", but he added: "I think the British people recognise this and are crying out for someone who's going to lead them and is going to say, 'Right, we are all in this together, we've got to take these steps together'."
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