Tory bosses have been left embarrassed after an attack on spending by Labour councils spectacularly backfired.
The Conservatives claimed Sandwell Council in the West Midlands spent £500,000 on “equalities, diversity, and inclusion training” in 2022/23.
Local Tory MP Shaun Bailey said: “It is disgraceful that Labour councillors have wasted half a million pounds of residents’ hard-earned money on a woke spending splurge, at a time when so many residents are struggling to make ends meet.”
But the local authority described the claim as “a gross misinterpretation”.
Labour said the real figure was just £5,000, with much of the remaining £450,000 being spent on a meals on wheels service for pensioners and disabled children.
A Labour source told HuffPost UK: “The Conservatives should confirm – do they want to cut food provision for OAPs and disabled kids?”
Overall, the Tories claim Labour councils spent £1.54 million on diversity schemes, which they said was enough to fix more than 24,000 potholes.
But Labour insiders pointed out that the Conservative Way Forward think tank found that government departments spend £12 million on equality, diversity and inclusivity initiatives.
A Labour campaign source said: “A Labour government would freeze council tax – no ifs, no buts, just a cost of living boost to every household in the country.
“Instead, the Tories are putting up people’s bill by up to 15%, while leaving eight million potholes on our roads. It’s just another example of how 13 years of Tory failure has left people paying more but getting less.”