TORIES have clashed with South Dorset Labour MP Jim Knight in a row over Government grants to the county.

South Dorset Conservatives' parliamentary spokesman Ed Matts has accused Mr Knight of trying to conceal "the true nature of this disastrous settlement".

But Mr Knight said the details he had provided were official figures and he accused Mr Matts of "mischief- making".

Mr Matts, speaking in Conservative Party News, said that Mr Knight had failed to secure fair funding for South Dorset.

He claimed Purbeck's increase had only been 0.46 per cent despite Government assurance that no authority would get less than three per cent and he added that even councils such as Weymouth and Portland and West Dorset, which had done well, would still be badly hit next year because of funding formula changes. He added that this would leave all Dorset councils with little choice but to cut services or raise council tax even more.

Mr Matts also said that county figures showed education funding had increased by only 3.2 per cent and he dismissed Mr Knight's claim of a 6.8 per cent increase as "another New Labour accounting trick".

Mr Matts was also critical of the important pupil funding gap between Dorset and neighbouring Hampshire which had not narrowed and he demanded that Mr Knight stand up for the people of South Dorset instead of resorting "to New Labour spin".

But Mr Knight hit back and said Mr Matts had not even had the courtesy to send him a copy of his remarks which suggested strongly to him "that this is Conservative spin". He added: "So instead of accusing me of New Labour spin perhaps Mr Matts should look first at the Conservatives.

"I have only relayed official figures and that goes for the 12.5 per cent increase in grants for Weymouth and Portland, the disappointing grant of three per cent to Purbeck and to Dorset Police and the 6.8 per cent increase in funding to the local education authority.

"I have made clear my disappointment at some of the figures and I shall be working to try and improve them during the consultation period with MPs which ends in February 2003.

"Mr Matts appears to be satisfied with the 12 per cent given to Mendip where he is a councillor and would now appear to be trying to make mischief elsewhere.

"The new grant awards have delighted Weymouth and Portland and West Dorset. The county council and Purbeck have not done so well and I am particularly concerned about the award to Dorset Police which I am going to try and do something about."