Cross-party group points to '˜unfair' Conservative cuts

The document issued by Britain Stronger In Europe, the official campaign for a Remain vote, highlighted figures comparing the impact of spending cuts in Labour areas compared to those run by Conservatives.

On council cuts, the dossier says: “The figures show that on average Labour councils have seen cuts of £347 per head, compared with Conservative council cuts of £137 per head.”

The current government and its coalition predecessor, both led by Mr Cameron, have consistenly rejected the idea that Labour-run councils have suffered more.

The dossier is designed to convince Labour voters that the public spending squeeze Remain claims would follow leaving the EU would hit them harder.

But with Labour having its own Remain campaign, it was unclear why the document was issued by the cross-party Stronger In organisation which is backed by the Prime Minister.

It will be seen as further evidence that Mr Cameron is so concerned at the possibilty Leave could win that he is willing to allow Stronger In to effectively attack his record if it persuades Labour voters to back a Remain vote on June 23.

Commenting on the dossier, Yvette Cooper, the Labour MP for Pontefract and Castleford, said: “The Leave campaign is made up of right-wing Tories who have never cared about Labour voters and working people and they haven’t suddenly started now.

“They hark back to a ‘golden age of Thatcherism’ that simply never existed for the majority of Britain’s workers.

“They are playing games. And putting other people’s jobs and public services at risk.”

She added: “Right-wing Tories hand in hand with Nigel Farage are gambling with this country’s future for their own political purposes.”