Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has said the party has instructed lawyers to challenge government funding cuts to the Tory-run Wandsworth Council, which she claims amount to 40 per cent and are forcing a 94 per cent council tax increase. Speaking to Matt Chorley on BBC Two’s Newsnight, Badenoch accused the Government of deliberately taking money away from areas that do not vote Labour and giving it to those that do.
Legal challenge announced over Wandsworth funding cuts
“I think it is outrageous that Wandsworth Council is having to put up council tax. But they’re not doing it because they want to,” Badenoch said. “It is because the government has taken away 40 per cent of their funding. So we have actually instructed lawyers, as the Conservative Party, to see if we can challenge the Government on this decision.”
She added: “Because what it looks like Labour is doing is taking money from areas that don’t vote Labour and giving it to places that do vote Labour. And I think that’s completely wrong. I think it is outrageous. So we’re talking to lawyers.”
Wandsworth council tax rise of 94 per cent
Wandsworth, which has historically had very low council tax, is one of a handful of councils granted two-year “funding realignment powers”, allowing it to increase council tax beyond the 5 per cent threshold. According to the report, band D families could see their council tax bills rise by £958 to £1,978 in April.
Badenoch said: “I think if you suddenly have a nearly 100 per cent increase in your council tax, you would be extremely worried. Families have budgets. Just because on average it’s lower than somewhere else doesn’t mean that people are going to be able to afford it. We have to do the right thing.”
She also questioned Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham’s position: “Andy Burnham has not found 40 per cent of anything to cut, but he’s asking Wandsworth to do that. I don’t think that’s fair. I don’t think that’s right.”
Conservatives deny political motivation
Badenoch insisted the Conservatives “would never” slash council budgets by 40 per cent because they were voting Labour. She said: “Right now it’s about the principle of it: that you don’t just take money from areas because they’re not voting for you and give them elsewhere. That’s the principle that we are challenging.”
The Department for Housing, Communities and Local Government has been contacted for comment.
