Philip Hammond

The Conservatives have launched an attack on the government's council tax record, despite being pushed on to the back foot by claims the party wants to reintroduce the poll tax.

Launching a debate on local government in the Commons, Tory spokesman Philip Hammond accused ministers of presiding over a bureaucratic system that failed to deliver cash to front line services.

His comments come as all parties continue their campaigning ahead of the June elections.

Hammond said that average Band D payers now faced local tax bills of £1,167.

"Council tax has gone through the roof under this Labour government," he said.

"It is the level of council tax that is leading to widespread discontent with the system."

He also said that under Labour, council tax had become "another stealth tax".

Poll tax row

Speaking ahead of the debate, shadow local government secretary Caroline Spelman had sought to play down the impact of her previous comments that the Conservatives would "look at" reintroducing elements of the poll tax.

Labour was expected to attack the comments as proof that the Tories would reintroduce the controversial policy that contributed to the eventual downfall of Margaret Thatcher.

But Spelman said: "We have said before and we say it again: We have no plans whatsoever to reintroduce the poll tax."

She also accused the government of attempting to "create a smokescreen" to its own failures on local finance.

Speaking in the Commons, however, local government minister Nick Raynsford criticised the "accident prone" Spelman's comments on the poll tax.

"Their attempt today to present themselves as the champions of local government is risible," he added.

The Tories had presided over the "chaos" of the poll tax, said Raynsford, who went on to defend the inspections regime that councils are assessed through.

"We make no apology for wanting local authorities to do better," he told MPs.

'In the dark'

As the debate continued, the Liberal Democrats accused the Tories of lacking clear policies.

Lib Dem spokesman Edward Davey said Michael Howard's party was "refusing to tell voters what their policy on council tax is".

"Voters are left in the dark on Conservative plans, and can only judge Mr Howard on his past record of introducing both the poll tax and the council tax," he added.

"The Tories want voters to forget their record on local government and turn a blind eye to their policy vacuum. It smacks of opportunism and lacks credibility."