Ahead of this afternoon’s Spending Review, new official figures released today have, the Tories say, exposed the Labour Party for exaggerating claims of the effect of ‘cuts’ to benefits and municipal services and for peddling false stories to the press and public.
The Tories say that Labour made false claims on council tax. Last Friday, the Shadow Communities Secretary, Hilary Benn, cited Labour research alleging that from 2012 to 2013, the number of households in council tax arrears had risen by 45 per cent in one year, with 700,000 households more households in tax arrears due to ‘cuts’ in benefits. Yet new official statistics today show that in-year council tax arrears have fallen from 31 March 2012 to 31 March 2013 (a cash change of just 0.2 per cent: a fall as a proportion of total council tax revenue raised). Moreover, collection rates actually increased in the last year (by 0.1 per cent, to 97.4 per cent). There is more councils can do to tackle tax evasion, as Labour councils continue to have the worst collection rates.
They also accuse Labour of making a false alarm on fire: In July last year, the Shadow Fire Minister, Chris Williamson, asserted that ‘arson [is] on the rise as cuts bite" and "casualties caused by house fires are rising.’ He cited Labour research alleging a 2.7 per cent rise in arson attacks and the number of fire casualties in the home has gone up by 7 per cent. But new statistics also out today show that from 2011-12 to 2012-13, fire fatalities fell by 14 per cent, fire casualties fell by 11 per cent, dwelling fires fell by 6 per cent. Fire incidents fell by 31 per cent and deliberate fires also fell by 40 per cent - although the wet weather played a part. This is all part of a broader long-term trend of decline in fire incidents, showing the scope for sensible savings and public service reform in the sector.
Brandon Lewis, Minister for Local Government and for the Fire Services, said: “Labour have been caught red handed peddling spin and dodgy figures – trying to scare people about savings being made to pay off Labour’s deficit. These official statistics illustrate how sensible savings can be made to local government and to welfare benefits without the end of the world. Labour’s shrill opposition to public service reform and welfare reform has been fundamentally discredited by the facts."
