Lib Dems expose bogus Tory tax pledge

10.45.49am UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 19th Apr 2006

Liberal Democrat finance spokesman Cllr Mark Pattenden (Eltham South) has criticised the local Tory election campaign for their bogus claims about the council tax.

Cllr Pattenden said that the claim that the Tories could maintain frontline services, put more police on the streets and cut the council tax were "pie in the sky".

"In four years the Tories haven't put forward a single tax proposal or budget amendment when the council tax is set - now they expect us to believe they have a full tax plan for the next four years.

"The Tories have failed to hold Labour to account over the council tax - but how could they? They invented the tax in the first place. Only the Liberal Democrats would axe the tax."