Grants 'stacked'

Jack Straw, Labour's environment spokesman, accused the Government of 'stacking' council grants to help Tory authorities. He said government figures showed the 115 Conservative councils were to receive a 3.3 per cent rise, while the average for all councils was 2.9 per cent. In 39 shire councils, where seats were up for election on 6 May, 19 Tory councils would get a 3.7 per cent rise, while eight Labour councils would receive 2.2 per cent.