Tory tale of "muddle, flip-flopping and hypocrisy" over Housing

12.46.47pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 25th Apr 2006

Bromley's Conservatives have been accused of "muddle, flip-flopping and hypocrisy" over their stance on the Borough's housing density by the Liberal Democrats.

The row comes after the local Tories put out a press release attacking Liberal Democrat and Labour councillors for accepting the Government's direction to change the part of the Borough's Planning policy that deals with density in Bromley. The press release failed to point out that most Conservative councillors on Bromley's Executive voted for the plan as well.

Liberal Democrat Leader Cllr David McBride said that the press release was intended to deceive local voters in the run up to May's elections and did not match the Tory's actions on the Council, where they have changed their minds at least twice on the issue. "At the Council's Planning Committee Conservatives voted with Liberal Democrat and Labour councillors for the recommended density, but a few weeks later they changed their minds. Now, after Government intervention, they have changed their minds again. This constant muddle and flip-flopping shows their confusion over the issue."

Cllr David McBride also pointed out that the attitude of some Conservatives in Bromley contradicts what their Leader David Cameron is saying on housing, where he attacked the "not in my backyard" tendency in his party as "bananas". "Mr Cameron has clearly stated that there are not enough new homes in the country," said Cllr McBride. "I suggest that Bromley Tory Group debates the issue with their own leader before lecturing others on their stance," he added.