Labour slams 'new poll tax'

Shadow communities and local government minister Helen Jones claimed the planned scheme would leave "many with a choice between paying the bill and buying food."

Speaking during Commons questions, Ms Jones said: "He will know that as councils begin to consult on their schemes, it is clear that poor working families will have to pay between 15 per cent and 30 per cent of council tax when previously they paid nothing, leaving many with a choice between paying the bill and buying food."

But newly appointed Communities and Local Government Minister Brandon Lewis claimed that the proposed alterations would ensure "local authorities have real choices about how they manage the reduction."