Herne Bay MP Roger Gale has hit out at the "sheer hypocrisy" of the Liberal Party over Council Tax increases.

Speaking following a Commons debate on Local Government Finance the MP said:

"The Liberals front bench spokesman, Edward Davey, was pleading that Councils should not be criticised for large increases arising from the government's transfer of grant funding from the Shire counties to the Midlands and the North.

In Canterbury, Liberal Alex Perkins is busy criticising the Tory-controlled County Council - for raising council tax! It's another classic case of the Liberals saying one thing in the House of Commons and another in the constituency.

The fact is that Kent Conservatives have not only rescued the County from the mess the Liberals left it in but they have created a beacon-class local authority. Perkins leads a City Council that has got the skids under it and they will say anything to try to save their political skins in May."

Earlier in the debate the City area's two MPs, Julian Brazier and Roger Gale, both attacked Local Government Minister Nick Raynsford for short-changing Kent.

"He's a political loan-shark" says Roger Gale. "He trumpets the inadequate rise in grant funding and omits to mention the increase in government generated costs that far outstrip the rise! A n elderly lady in care in Kent is still "worth" only a third of the money that the same person would attract in some London Boroughs and the County faces huge unfunded bills arising from this government's increase in national insurance rates and education costs.

Nick Raynsford told the Commons that the re-distribution was deliberate and that he was "not going to apologise" for it. I think he may find that the electors remember that when they go out to elect a new Canterbury City Council in a very few months` time".