Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour party has refused to rule out using satellites to spy on homeowners and hike tax as has reportedly been the case in Wales.

Families who live in areas with good schools or lower crime rates are among those who will be hit with higher council tax bills, under plans being drawn up by the Senedd, and The Telegraph reports that Labour in England could follow suit.

The Labour-run Welsh Government says it will introduce higher council tax bands and higher tax band rates to address “property wealth” and “rebalance” the existing system.

Sir Keir Starmer has insisted that a Labour government will not raise taxes. But, according to The Telegraph, he is using the Welsh government as a “blueprint” for “what Labour can do across the UK”.

A wider UK council tax revaluation, which has previously been advocated by Jim McMahon, now Sir Keir’s shadow local government minister, would be likely to result in tax increases for households across the country.

Asked if the party would reevaluate council tax, a Labour spokesman said that it has “no plans” to do so but declined to categorically rule out such a move.