THEY say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery — and I am delighted that the prime minister has responded so hurriedly to UKIP’s tax-cutting agenda.

We called for other parties to come to a consensus with UKIP about lifting the personal allowance to the level of the full-time minimum wage.

The Prime Minister agreeing just five days later is welcomed. It remains for Nick Clegg and David Miliband to come into line and this can be a comprehensive consensus across the political spectrum to take into the next parliament.

And UKIP’s offer to do something radical for those who have been dragged into the 40p tax rate has also provoked a positive response from the PM.

His motivation is a bit more puzzling as he has previously endorsed George Osborne’s approach of actively reducing the 40p threshold.

That is fine as long as he turns out to be sincere.

Taken together, the personal-allowance policy and the 40p threshold U-turn amount to dramatic evidence of the impact UKIP is having on British politics.

We are championing the rights of hardworking and responsible families up and down the land.

Ian Williams, UKIP Torfaen chairman