THERESA MAY repeatedly denied yesterday that her government struck a special deal with a Tory council to fend off a 15 per cent tax rise to pay for social care.

Coming under fire again during Prime Minister’s Questions over claims of special treatment for Conservative-controlled Surrey County Council, the PM rejected the idea there was a “conspiracy.”

But Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn kept up the pressure, asking her to “explain the difference between a sweetheart deal and a gentleman’s agreement” — the term council leader David Hodge was caught using in a leaked recording of a private meeting.

Mr Hodge said he had dealt directly with Communities Secretary Sajid Javid to secure the funding agreement amid a looming local referendum on raising council tax by 15 per cent to pay for social care, which was cancelled after the deal.

Mr Corbyn had taken his Tory counterpart by surprise last month, breaking news of the hush-hush scheme during PMQs, reading out a series of text messages mistakenly sent by Mr Hodge to Labour’s Newcastle Council leader Nick Forbes rather than Mr Javid’s special adviser Nick King.

Returning to the scandal yesterday, Mr Corbyn said that if the arrangements with Surrey were “so clear and above board” then Ms May should publish details of any and all meetings between Mr Javid, Chancellor Philip Hammond and any council leader.