Labour stays silent on who faces bin tax until polls are over

They said the Government was plotting to bring in pay-as-you-throw schemes only after tomorrow's local elections, in case Labour is punished at the polls over the issue.

By refusing to reveal which councils will be involved in trials, ministers were keeping voters in the dark, they added.

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Previously, ministers have said trials will be run in just five areas and that 14 unnamed local authorities have expressed interest in taking part.

But the Tories produced documents containing plans which said officials believe bin taxes will mean that "just over 62 per cent of households are covered by charging schemes".

Eric Pickles, the Tory local government spokesman, said the papers, written for the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, proved trial runs planned for next year in five areas were a "mockery" and that Labour intends to spread bin taxes across the country.

"Ministers know that bin taxes will cause a massive public backlash.

"Yet, just as with cuts to weekly rubbish collections, they are telling town halls to keep quiet until after election day.

"The public have a right to know if their town hall is going to increase taxes on them after election day.

"Labour ministers are deliberately conspiring with a cadre of town hall bureaucrats to keep the public, candidates and councillors in the dark."

Last May, up to 30 town halls are thought to have changed hands following a voter backlash against fortnightly rubbish collections, following a Daily Mail campaign.

The Defra-financed quango WRAP had advised council officials to avoid introducing fortnightly collections before polls.

In 2007, Environment Secretary Hilary Benn threw his weight behind pay-as-you-throw-taxes.

But in the autumn, Gordon Brown said he would kill off the idea. He then backed down, allowing trials to proceed.

Pilots can go ahead once the Climate Change Bill, which is currently before Parliament makes it legal for councils to make additional charges for rubbish collection, on top of council tax.

Defra says families are likely to be billed for the weight of rubbish they put out or the number of sacks they use.

Bins would be identified by microchips.

But councils could also charge in other ways.

Ministers say the charges would encourage us to recycle more and put out less waste.

But they acknowledge that families, who inevitably generate the most waste, will be hardest hit.

Costs were originally put at about £30 a year, but ministers then admitted they are more likely to be £50.

Other analysts believe they could hit £100.

Until the end of last year Labour called the charges "incentives".

But then Waste Minister Joan Ruddock admitted they are officially taxes.

She said the Tory accusations were "simply local election mischiefmaking."

"We are completely open and transparent.

"We have not yet completed the application process for running pilots."

Kate Hoey, a former Labour minister, will work for Boris Johnson should he become London's mayor at the polls tomorrow.

She has accepted an offer from the Tory frontrunner to advise him on sport in the city.

The Prime Minister is powerless to sack her as a Labour MP as he promoted the idea of cross-party co-operation.

Miss Hoey said she would be an unpaid adviser on sport and the 2012 Olympics on a "non-partisan basis".