FLAGSHIP Liberal Democrat plans for a “mansion tax” were criticised by one of the party’s Winchester councillors at its Glasgow conference.

Jackie Porter – who is also the Lib Dem candidate to be Winchester’s next MP – urged Business Secretary Vince Cable to think again.

Intervening in the debate on fair taxes, Mrs Porter stressed she was not against higher taxes on wealthy homeowners “in principle”.

But she said: “In view of the cost of homes in my constituency, I believe the extra taxes would be better collected as additional bands of council tax. That would be easier and more effective to collect – and it would make a real difference to local budgets.”

The comments reflect Lib Dem unease in parts of the South East – where house prices are higher – at the reaction of voters to proposals for a mansion tax.

Under Mr Cable’s plans, it would be levied on homes worth more than £2m, on a sliding scale.

Mrs Porter has been a Hampshire county councillor for Itchen Valley since 2005, where she is the Lib Dem spokeswoman for children and young people.