Don't think I'd agree with Tebbitt on much, but he is right to point out that when it comes down to it there is a tension between fairness and equality, as there is between all the basic virtues: Fairness, equality, freedom, justice ...

It is easy to treat fairness and equality as more or less synonyms but clearly when you use both together like that, you are making a distinction between them. And when you do that the difference is where the tension comes from. If you push that difference in one direction you will increase fairness but decrease equality; push it the other way and you will decrease fairness but increase equality.