POLITICIANS in Wirral have again clashed over the controversial lending of taxpayers' cash to other local authorities at bargain basement interest rates.

Last week Tories blasted the ruling Labour group for providing loans of more than £50m to councils around the country at a time when the borough's services are being cut.

Now it has emerged the Tories themselves lent the same sum when they were last in office under a coalition with the Lib-Dems in 2010.

Open government campaigner and Labour local election candidate for Hoylake Tony Murphy said: "The Tories can't have it both ways.

"When they were last in power they were one of, if not the largest lenders of cash to local councils, and this was at a time when they sacked and dismissed hundreds of council workers to save money.

"It is another example of misleading and inconsistent statements from the Tories in recent weeks."

Tory group leader Cllr Ian Lewis was dismissive: "It seems Labour are a bit rattled by the figures revealed last week and have resorted to trawling through the public accounts from years ago in a desperate attempt to deflect from their double standards today.

“They’ve been banging on about austerity from the day they took control of the council.

"Yet in five years they have been lending millions to other councils while at the same time wasting money on the golf resort, private sector consultants and the Wirral View.

"Since becoming leader of the Conservatives last year I’ve been clear – stop these loans and cut the money wasted on these vanity projects.”