'Leaflet is full of lies'

The leaflet, sent to residents in Walcot ahead of next month's by-election, says that Labour would increase council tax by 19.2 per cent if in power.

But the Labour Party says that figure has only ever been used by the Tories and the statement is "totally and utterly wrong".

Peter Mallinson, the Labour Party candidate, was given the leaflet by a resident.

"It is just not true," he said. "My eyes fell straight on the '19.2 per cent Labour tax rise'. We have not set a budget at all yet.

"It is not Labour's 19.2 that is the figure produced by the Tories.

"I do feel that when people put election leaflets out they have to have some grounding in truth.

"It is twisting the facts ."

The Labour Party says it has not yet decided whether it will present an alternative budget and so has not given any indication of what level of tax rise it would support.

The claims are made on a leaflet for Andy James, the Conservative candidate for the Walcot by-election on February 3.

Mr James was not available for comment but Robert Buckland, the Conservative's candidate for South Swindon in the next general election, who has been working with Mr James on the campaign, stuck by the leaflet.

"The figure of 19.2 per cent is the best estimate we can give based on the fact that they wouldn't make any of the efficiency savings we are putting in place," he said.

"We are not out to mislead, we are out to paint a picture of what the council tax rise would be if Labour were in power.

"It is interesting to know Labour haven't put out their own proposals. Their silence has been deafening. We deem that to be another acceptance of the high council tax rises they have imposed over the last three years."

The Conservatives are considering a series of cuts to keep the council tax rise down to three per cent.

They have said that without the savings the council tax would be 19.2 per cent and have used the two figures in their consultation on the budget proposals.

Isabel Field