John Denham Southampton Itchen MP and Labour's Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, has today issued a challenge to the Conservatives over their council tax plans.

Speaking at the Local Government Association Annual Conference in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, John Denham said:

"The Conservative council tax freeze pledge is a con – a freeze for the few but a rise for the many.

"George Osborne claims that “your council tax” would be frozen for two years under the Conservatives. But relatively few councils would qualify for the freeze and in many cases only if they agree to set their council tax at a level which would necessitate major cuts to local services.

"And in fact, Conservative plans to withhold £240 million of funding to local authorities could mean local authorities having to make a further 1 per cent interest on council tax across the country.

"Today I challenge David Cameron to come clean at the LGA Conference and admit that he knows the 'council tax freeze' plan would only affect a minority of local authorities, and that elsewhere Tory cuts to local government funding could lead to council tax increases or cuts to local services"