PM criticises Farage over Worcestershire tax hike

Sir Keir Starmer has criticised Reform UK over its running of Worcestershire County Council - accusing Nigel Farage of a "U-turn".

Speaking in the Commons, the Prime Minister condemned the council tax hike of 9% in the county, which has added about £145 a year to Band D bills.

The PM said the rise had been approved despite the party "promising lower tax", and he took a swipe at Farage for saying he wished Reform "hadn't bothered" to take control in Worcestershire.

A Reform spokesman said average council tax bills in Worcestershire were "still lower than the national average", adding that Starmer had "raised taxes to record highs."

Reform took control of the council after last year's elections as a minority administration, and has had to deal with major financial problems.

The authority managed to secure £59.9m in emergency government help to avoid effective bankruptcy, with Reform consistently blaming the previous Conservative leadership for the county's budget crisis.

Sir Keir, speaking at Prime Minister's Questions, said Farage "promised lower tax - and now Reform are hiking council tax by 9%".

"In Worcestershire he said: 'We took control of a virtually bankrupt council, I wish we hadn't bothered.'

"He asked for people's votes - and then he abandons them."

Farage said he regretted his party taking control of the council, due its finances, while on the campaign trail in the south west earlier this month.

The council has had to scrap £30m in capital spending and withdraw vacant job posts in areas like IT, finance and HR as part of the cutbacks.

A Reform UK spokesman said: "It's ironic for this prime minister to criticise anyone over tax - given that he raised taxes to record highs, and broke his election pledge not to increase taxes on working people almost immediately.

"In contrast, Reform UK councils have had the lowest council tax rises of any party in the country."

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