Labour accused over cash for marginal areas

Ministers have been accused of using public money for electioneering over a £12m programme targeted at Labour heartlands.

The Tories today seized on a leaked report to criticise the Connecting Communities fund which targets white working class neighbourhoods vulnerable to Far Right extremism.

Several areas of Yorkshire have received the money to fund initiatives such as training for members of the community to champion their area.

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The Tories claimed the unpublished report by Ipsos MORI for the Leadership Centre of Local Government showed the Government was focusing on wards which are "much less likely to be under local Conservative control than is the case nationally", including in marginal seats like Batley and Spen, Brigg and Goole, and Keighley.

Shadow Communities Minister Sayeeda Warsi said: "This is yet more evidence of Labour Ministers abusing official resources and public cash to fund Labour's general election campaign."

The charge will be fiercely denied by Labour.