DAVID Cameron has turned the spotlight on what he called wasteful Labour spending by joking that Durham County Council was giving staff a clothing allowance to spend on the latest line from “Geordie Armani”.

The Prime Minister made the comment – intended to be a pun on a well known fashion house – in a speech launching the Conservative Party’s campaign ahead of local council elections next month.

Durham County Council has faced repeated criticism over the annual allowance paid to its chairwoman Linda Marshall and vice-chairwoman Pauline Charlton –amounting to £8,580 and £4,280 respectively – which The Northern Echo revealed last month.

Council chiefs insist it is a civic allowance paid to cover all expenses associated with the ceremonial roles and not just for clothing, but have faced calls to scrap the payment.

Mr Cameron contrasted excessive salaries and perks for Labour councilors with what he described as the “good government” provided by Conservative town halls.

He said: “Labour-run Durham County Council give their staff an annual £12,000 clothing allowance to spend on ‘Geordie Armani’.

“If you want good government that costs less – vote Conservative. If you want waste and propaganda – vote Labour.”

Durham City Labour MP Roberta Blackman-Woods said she believed Mr Cameron was prompted to use the example of Durham County Council by Liberal Democrats on the authority, although this was denied by both parties.

She said: “I’ve been in touch with the county council and also representatives of the Lib Dems, whose own mayor in Durham City has a similar allowance.

“Both need to look at this expenditure.”

Durham County Council has announced a review of civic expenses – taking in the Mayor of Durham’s role – and plans to reveal details of the allowance paid to its chairwoman and vice-chairwoman in its scheme of members’ allowances in a bid to ensure “openness and transparency”.

It was previously unpublished.

County Councillor Mark Wilkes, who represents Framwellgate Moor for the Lib Dems, said it was hardly surprising the Prime Minister had highlighted a “shameful” use of taxpayers’ money.

Coun Wilkes said there had been an “endless list of horrendous waste” by the county council.

He added: “I can't believe that despite all the public backlash, this unworthy Labour leadership still haven't had the gumption to scrap this allowance – socks, shoes and knickers at taxpayers' expense, whatever else have they been spending taxpayers' money on?”

Don McLure, Durham County Council’s corporate director of resources, said: “The allowance referred to by Mr Cameron is not a clothing allowance and is not paid to staff.

“There is an allowance paid to the chairman of the council to cover expenses associated with this important ceremonial role, but it is not a clothing allowance.”

Current chairwoman Coun Marshall has previously claimed the public were being misled over the allowance, while Coun Charlton defended the spending saying she could not turn up to official engagements in “tatty” clothes.