Sir Keir Starmer was accused of “trying to fool the public” after it emerged his pledge to recruit thousands of neighbourhood police officers depends on Conservative police commissioners agreeing to hike up council tax. Labour’s general election manifesto included plans for an extra 13,000 neighbourhood police, and the Prime Minister insisted last night that measures in the spending review, published last week by Chancellor Rachel Reeves, would allow him to keep this promise.

Speaking to the Express as he attended the G7 summit in Canada, Sir Keir said: “I’m absolutely clear in my mind when it comes to security and policing, that the Spending Review will deliver what we have promised, which is 13,000 extra police and a commitment to safe and secure communities across the country.”

Police forces will receive a 2.3% real terms funding increase each year up to 2028-29, according to the Treasury. But small print in the Spending Review documents make it clear that local taxpayers will be expected to foot the bill as the increase includes “estimated funding from the police council tax precept”, which is added to council tax bills and set by police and crime commissioners or in some cases by regional mayors.

In last year’s police and crime commissioner elections, 19 out of 33 winners, just over half, were conservatives.

Chris Philp MP, Shadow Home Secretary, said: “Keir Starmer can try to fool the public all he likes, but Labour simply haven’t funded the police officers they promised. Only 3,000 of their so-called 13,000 neighbourhood police are actually new officers. The rest are unpaid volunteers or diverted from existing roles.

“And don’t just take it from us, police chiefs have called Labour’s spending review a ‘huge blow’ and warned it won’t even cover inflation. This will compound the nearly 2,000 police jobs already at-risk due Labour’s shortfall in January’s funding settlement.

“The Conservatives delivered the highest ever number of officers in England and Wales. Labour are cutting policing, and its communities who will pay the price.”

And Tories said Labour was pushing up taxes for working people despite promising not to do so in last year’s manifesto.

The Spending Review confirmed that councils will be free to impose inflation-busting rises of 5% every year up to at least 2028. This is in addition to precepts such as those that help fund the police.

It follows a 5% rise in average band D bills in April, which pushed the average charge up to £2,280 – £109 higher than last year.

Average band D bills are set to reach £2,639 on average by April 2028, which is £468 higher than when Labour came to power.

Shadow Local Government Secretary Kevin Hollinrake said: “Passing the buck doesn’t hide the broken promise.

“Keir Starmer vowed not to raise taxes on working people — now he’s hiking National Insurance and recommending councils slam them with 5% council tax rises.

“This will leave working households thousands of pounds worse off in this Parliament. Britain simply can’t afford Labour.”