LABOUR bosses have called on Tory MPs to “have a word” with serial critic Priti Patel after her latest attack on Colchester Council.

Conservative MP Priti Patel yesterday launched another scathing criticism claiming the council had “systematically misled” residents over how to comment on its proposed Local Plan.

Ms Patel claimed the council lied to residents and alleged it was hiding behind a government inspector as an excuse for not taking into account a number of submissions on the controversial Local Plan, which sets out where in the borough can be built on until 2033.

It is her latest attack on the Lib Dem and Labour-led coalition, having previously criticised how it dealt with the divisive Tollgate Village application and asked Government’s planning boss to weigh in on the proposed Northern Gateway scheme, she labelled Colchester Council “rotten”.

In response to the attack, Tim Young, Colchester Council deputy leader, said: “Enough is enough. She seems to have a total vendetta against Colchester Council.

“The claims she is making are outrageous and have no basis in fact.

“We have carried consultation on the local plan just the same as Braintree and Tendring councils. The only difference between us and them is we are not a Conservative-led authority.

“We deal regularly with Conservative MPs Will Quince and Bernard Jenkin.

“I do not agree with their politics but we deal with them in a responsible way.

“She could learn a few lessons from them. In fact, I would appeal to both Will and Bernard or someone in the Tory Party to have a word with her.”

Ms Patel said the council has been rumbled after a letter to a member of the public from the Planning Inspectorate stated local plans consultation was “strictly for the council”.

The Witham MP said: “The council has been caught out peddling misinformation to people in the borough.

“Once they were exposed for rejecting responses to the consultation they systematically misled residents about the reasons.

“Instead of owning up and taking responsibility they tried to blame the Planning Inspectorate, causing confusion and anxiety to local residents affected.

“No-one at the council has apologised and no-one at the council has taken responsibility for these shameful actions.

“Although the council has now conceded that it will accept and consider the responses it has received to the consultation, it should not have got it so badly wrong in the first place. “Residents deserve better than this rotten council.”