Hull Council accused of using telco cash to buy votes

The Labour-run council in Kingston-Upon-Hull has been accused of using its earnings from the flotation of Kingston Communications to gain votes in marginal wards.

Reports in the Financial Times quote Liberal Democrat accusations that the council are planning to use the £250m gained from the flotation to spend in politically sensitive areas.

A proposal for a capital spending programme put forward by the Labour Party is to be voted on by the council tomorrow. The plans would see £92m spent on double-glazing and central heating for council homes, £20m on private sector housing and £30m on street services.

According to the report, Labour is being accused of targeting seats held by the Liberal Democrats for the spending.

Tom McVie, group secretary of the Kingston Upon Hull Labour Group today refuted the allegations, saying that the spending plans only represent Labour's delivery of election promises. He insisted: "Designation of where we start the scheme is purely on the basis of house type, but eventually all twenty wards of the city will benefit".