Opposition parties accused the executive of raising council tax

Scottish National Party Holyrood leader Nicola Sturgeon urged the Scottish Executive to freeze council tax levels.

However, Jack McConnell accused the SNP of "total hypocrisy" over its position on the executive's plans for efficiency savings.

Scottish Tory leader David McLetchie said Mr McConnell was running "a spend, spend, spend and squander" policy.

Ms Sturgeon said council tax had risen by 50% in Scotland since Labour came to power and was set to go up by a further 4.5% next year.

Support services or support tax cuts First Minister Jack McConnell

She said: "For families and pensioners already struggling, that could be the straw that breaks the camel's back.

"An extra �80m in council coffers could wipe out that increase and allow council tax to be frozen next year.

"If the first minister believes that amount can be saved by cutting waste in councils, then surely it should be council tax payers who get the benefit of that."

Ms Sturgeon challenged the first minister to give money back to councils so they could freeze council tax levels.

However, Mr McConnell said: "This is absolute, total hypocrisy from Ms Sturgeon and the SNP.

Executive 'profligacy'

"Every single SNP spokesman who has spoken about this since July has condemned the efficiency savings that we are going to deliver in local and national government.

"The services that they claim to support, the services that they are always demanding we spend more money on, now she wants to see cut so she can finance a tax cut.

"Support services or support tax cuts."

Mr McLetchie claimed the executive was a by-word for waste and profligacy.