A future Conservative government would focus on providing opportunity for all, Michael Howard has said.

Delivering a keynote speech on tax and spending at an event in London, the Tory chief said too much of the current government's spending was "wasteful and unnecessary".

"It is not delivering value for taxpayers' money," he said.

Howard renewed his warning that Labour's spending plans would have to be financed by tax rises after the next election.

"We are determined to stop the tax rises Labour need to fill their black hole and put Britain on the path to lower taxes," he said.

"It’s about taking a disciplined approach to the problems Britain faces and making some hard choices. 

"Britain needs a government with the right values – one that understands the importance of promoting individual responsibility and rewarding hard work.

"A government that believes people are better at spending their hard earned cash than it is.

"And a government that understands that the most effective way of stopping wasteful spending is for the people who earned the money in the first place, to keep it."

Seeking to capitalise on his plans for tax cuts worth £4 billion, Howard warned voters to remember that "if politicians don’t get their hands on your cash, they can't waste it".

"Everything a Conservative government does will have one objective. And that objective is opportunity," he said.

"Like many of you here today, I came from an ordinary family. I didn't have any special privileges. But Britain gave me the opportunity to get on life.

"I want everyone – whatever their background, whatever the colour of their skin, whatever their religion – to have the opportunity to succeed.

"The opportunity to fulfil their ambitions. The opportunity to lead a better life than their parents."

British dream

The Tory chief said he wanted more people to experience the "British dream".

"That's why we need a government that values discipline at school and excellence in education.

"A government that lets people keep more of the money they earn by cutting taxes.

"And a government that brings back powers from Brussels so that it can always put the interests of the British people first.

"That's what a Conservative government will deliver. That's why Britain needs a Conservative government.

"That's why it's our duty – each and every one of us - to pull out all the stops for a Conservative victory."