Labour would freeze council tax for one year, says Keir Starmer

Party leader says Labour would use windfall tax profits to stop rises in England, as local election campaign begins

• Politics live – latest updates

Keir Starmer pledged to use an extended windfall tax to freeze council tax for one year as Labour kicked off its local election campaign on Thursday.

Days before millions of people in England see their council tax bills rise by 5% in April, the Labour leader challenged Rishi Sunak to use “the money that is already on the table” and introduce the tax cut tomorrow.