'IT'S LABOUR SNOUTS IN THE TROUGH' BLAST BY ANGRY TORIES

TORY leader William Hague has launched a savage attack on Tony Blair over New Labour's spending.

He claims that - despite cuts in the economy - the Prime Minister and Labour leaders have their "snouts in the trough" and have spent fortunes splashing out on:

Revamping tennis courts at Chequers at a cost of pounds 50,000 because the surface was "not up to Mr Blair's game".

Installing a top-of-the-range kitchen for Cherie Blair over No. 11 Downing Street, and

Lavishing pounds 8million on swanky receptions, including showbiz and celebrity parties, at No10.

Mr Hague hit out after Downing Street tried to excuse revelations that MPs have been taking their wives and partners abroad at the taxpayers' expense by saying that the Tories agreed with the policy.

Mr Hague's then-fiancee Ffion had accompanied him on an official visit to Hong Kong.

But Ffion's trip was NOT paid for by the taxpayer.

Now Mr Hague has hit back with his "snouts in the trough" accusations.

He has listed 10 official trips on which ministers were accompanied by wives and partners - at a cost to the public of pounds 36,000.

He has stated how 14 ministers have been given grace-and-favour accommodation with major refurbishments costing nearly pounds 1million.

And he condemned the recruitment of special advisers, two per minister, at a cost of pounds 2.6million - double the number under the Tories. Mr Blair, who plays tennis every weekend, employs 17 full- time advisers, plus two part-time aides for his wife - doubling the cost of political staff from pounds 434,000 under the Tories to pounds 849,000 this year.

In a document detailing Labour's expenses, the Tories also quote Mr Blair's address to newly-elected Labour MPs in May when he told them: "Remember too that you are not here to enjoy the trapping of power but to do a job and uphold the highest standards in public life."

A Tory spokesman said: "The price of indulgence by the Government is more than pounds 11million in just nine months.

"For the price of taking partners abroad there could have been eight hip replacements or six heart by-passes. For the price of renovating ministers' homes - pounds 825,000 - they could have hired 41 teachers or 59 nurses.

"For the price of the spin doctors - pounds 2.6million - they could have taken on 130 teachers, and for the pounds 8million cost of the officials' parties they could have employed 400 teachers or 571 nurses.

"The overall total could have paid for 573 teachers, 819 nurses or 1,767 heart bypasses."

The newly-wed Tory leader chose the weekend to declare that they were The Party Of The Family.

Mr Hague will insist that the family must still be regarded as the basic institution of society - even though John Major's Back To Basics campaign was a disaster.

He will stress that the Conservatives must accept that times have changed - Britain is no longer living in the days of Pride and Prejudice but of TV's Friends.

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