Labour councillor Will Scobie has defended claims that he took credit for a scheme brought in by Thanet District Council Conservatives on BBC’s Sunday Politics show at the weekend.

The Labour prospective parliamentary candidate described the council’s selective licensing scheme as “incredibly successful”.

And South Thanet Conservatives have called upon Cllr Scobie to acknowledge that selective licensing in Thanet was a Conservative innovation.

The programme stated that around 25 Labour controlled authorities had introduced selective licensing and used Thanet as an example of a successful scheme.

Cllr Scobie said: “I didn’t ever say that it was a Labour scheme and I never said that Labour should be praised.

“It’s a strange one - we are arguing over nothing and both agree it is a successful scheme for the area whoever implemented it.

“I saw the line of questioning as BBC not properly researching it and I answered their question on behalf of the council saying it was a successful scheme.”

The scheme was introduced to parts of Cliftonville West and Margate Central in 2011 to help tackle low housing demand and anti-social behaviour.

It requires landlords to comply with a range of conditions to ensure good property management.

Thanet District Council Conservative leader Bob Bayford said: “We are well aware that the Thanet Labour Group locally are in disarray over their failure to support Manston Airport and Will Scobie is trailing a poor third in the General Election polls.

“But his desperation to take credit for a scheme which had nothing to do with either him or his party is both shameful and dishonourable.

“This is not the first time he has been caught doing this and he really ought to be honest and open with the voters of South Thanet.

“We are in contact with the BBC regarding a correction of the programme’s factual errors and call upon Cllr Scobie to acknowledge that selective licensing in Thanet is a Conservative innovation and to stop implying that the policy is in any part due to him or his party.”