UK Conservatives pledge bank tax

LONDON: Britain's main opposition Conservative Party says it will impose a new tax on banks to avoid taxpayers bearing the cost of any future bailouts if the party wins upcoming general elections.

Conservative leader David Cameron says in prepared comments for a speech on Saturday that he will impose the tax even if other countries decide against doing so.

That goes a step further than Prime Minister Gordon Brown's ruling Labour Party, which says it favors such a tax _ but only with international agreement.

Cameron acknowledges a bank tax ``won't be popular,'' but says ``it's fair and it's necessary.''

The Conservatives are currently ahead of Labour in polls for an election that must be called by the start of June _ the most likely date being May 6.