Watch Jeremy Hunt go 'bright red' during PMQs after being called out by Jeremy Corbyn over Surrey County Council

Leaked texts suggest tax hike in Health Secretary's constituency cancelled in 'sweetheart deal'

Jeremy Hunt appeared to go "bright red" after Jeremy Corbyn confronted the Prime Minister with a series of leaked text messages from a Conservative council leader.

The messages from Councillor David Hodge hinted at a Government "sweetheart deal" for Surrey County Council designed to head off its planned 15 per cent council tax hike, the Labour leader said.

"I wonder if it's anything to do with the fact that the Chancellor and Health Secretary both represent Surrey constituencies," Mr Corbyn added at Prime Minister's Questions, to the apparent discomfort of South West Surrey MP Mr Hunt.

Labour MP Justin Madders, the shadow Health Secretary, said: "Jeremy Hunts face went bright red when @jeremycorbyn read the texts between Surrey council and Gov,looks like they've been caught out".

Surrey County Council leader David Hodge has said that the decision to scrap the 15 per cent rise "was ours alone and there has been no deal" with the Government.

Mr Hodge insisted there was no deal with ministers over the decision to abandon the hike and replace it with a 4.99% rise.

He said: "Surrey's decision not to proceed with a 15 per cent council tax increase was ours alone and there has been no deal between Surrey County Council and the Government.

"However, I am confident that the Government now understands the real pressures in adult social care and the need for a lasting solution."

The original plan for a 15 per cent rise to help cover the cost of social care would have required a referendum, but it was abandoned on Tuesday.

At PMQs, Mr Corbyn produced a series of text messages from Mr Hodge which are understood to have been intended for Nick King, a special adviser to Communities and Local Government Secretary Sajid Javid.

Downing Street sources denied that the messages were intended for Mr King.

Mr Corbyn said: "These texts read 'I'm advised that DCLG officials have been working on a solution and you will be contacting me to agree a memorandum of understanding'."

He challenged ministers to "publish this memorandum of understanding and, while they're about it, will all councils be offered the same deal?"

A second text message read: "The numbers you indicated are the numbers I understand are acceptable for me to accept and call off the R"—an apparent reference to the referendum.

Mr Corbyn added: "He goes on to say in his text to Nick, 'If it is possible that info to be sent to myself I can then revert back soonest, really want to kill this off'.

"So how much did the Government offer Surrey to kill this off and is the same sweetheart deal on offer to every council facing the social care crisis created by [Ms May's] Government?"

Ms May stressed that all councils with responsibility for social care had the ability to raise council tax by an extra 3 per cent.

She said of Mr Corbyn: ”He comes to the despatch box making all sorts of claims. Yet again what we get from Labour is alternative facts; what they really need is an alternative leader.“