The Liberal Democrats have accused Gordon Brown of misleading the public over plans to sell off £30 billion of government assets, after it emerged the figure includes land and property owned by local as well as central government.

Lord Oakeshott, Treasury spokesman for the Liberal Democrats, described the policy announcement, which came as part of the spending review as a "con".

Meanwhile, the CBI has slammed ministers over its proposals to add an extra £30 million to the annual business rates bill of Britain's biggest companies.