THE Conser vative MP for Ludlow, Philip Dunne, must be branded a scaremonger after statements he made about council tax rises have been revealed to be based on supposition and hypothesis rather than hard fact.

He has taken a press release issued by Caroline Spelman, Conservative shadow spokesman for communities and local government in July, and re-hashed it.

He adds in “Shropshire” a couple of times and has sent it out irrespective of its basis in fact.

Is it really worth putting needless fear in the minds of the elderly, poorly paid and the vulnerable for the sake of a few paragraphs of publicity?

Caroline Spelman issued this release on July 26, claiming she had proof that the government was continuing with the council tax rebanding it shelved last September.

In neither release was any evidence proffered.

They quote the Welsh re-banding as proof that the council tax bill will rise by £327 a year, neglecting to mention that few properties were re-banded in Wales I am particularly concerned that the Ludlow MP has failed to grasp that this is an unfair tax and should be based on the ability to pay – not on the value of the house.

He gives us no clue as to how the Conservatives might make this a fairer tax.

He just attacks the government with shaky evidence to scare people.

Surely votes should be won on policies not threats