Brent Council's ruling Labour group called for Home Office minister Paul Boateng to defy the government and vote against its funding for local government.

A group meeting on Sunday demanded Brent South MP Mr Boateng and other local MPs Barry Gardiner and Ken Livingstone "stand up for their constituents."

The extraordinary demand follows the fury in Brent at the Government's provisional decision to give the council the smallest funding increase in the country which leaves a budget gap of £17.5million.

Fears of a £100 increase in benchmark council tax bills, up to 500 job losses and the closure of libraries, day centres and the entire youth service have already been predicted.

The Government's decision to ignore the special needs of ethnic minorities in calculating the funding for social services for children led to the loss of more than £7million for Brent.

Unlike most other local authorities which received small funding increases, Brent only has a relatively small amount of savings and in the last eight years has disposed of much of the assets which could be sold.

Council leader councillor Paul Daisley said: "There are always winners and losers each time the methodology for calculating Government grants is reviewed.

"What I cannot accept is that Brent, which is the 20th poorest borough in the country, should be the hardest hit."

"I am deeply saddened and disappointed by the government's poor settlement which penalises a borough like Brent with high depravation and a large ethnic population in favour of more wealthy boroughs like Westminster."

At a meeting of the council's policy and resources committee on Monday senior Labour councillor John Lebor said: "It is our duty to show to the people of Brent that we are speaking up on their behalf."

Liberal Democrat leader councillor Paul Lorber said: "We have been screwed by the Government and it doesn't matter whether it is a Tory or Labour Government, we all have to fight it."

Tory leader councillor Bob Blackman said because the final settlement is not announced for several weeks it would be wrong to alarm people by predicting service cuts and job loses which might be avoided.

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