Tory hypocrisy on council tax is breath taking - Randerson

6.07.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 23rd Apr 2008

Jenny Randerson has accused the Tories of outrageous hypocrisy in a debate criticising the council tax.

Local government spokesperson Mrs Randerson said: "The Tories position is laughable. This is the party that introduced council tax. This is the party that has failed to support alternatives to council tax. Yet now they've decided that their tax is too high.

"Council Tax is fundamentally unfair. It takes no account of people's ability to pay.

"That's why Welsh Liberal Democrats believe we should scrap council tax and replace it with a local income tax.

Mrs Randerson praised Welsh Liberal Democrat led councils in Cardiff, Swansea, Bridgend and Wrexham for keeping council tax rises down.

She said: "While we cannot scrap council tax in Wales, I'm proud that Welsh Liberal Democrat-led councils have had the lowest council tax increases of any political group in Wales over the last four years."

Notes:

A Welsh Liberal Democrat amendment to the debate called for the abolition of council tax and its replacement with a system based on ability to pay.