Ed Miliband insists Hampstead and Kilburn residents who are worried about Labour’s mansion tax would support the policy if they knew more about it.

The Labour leader slammed Conservative parliamentary candidate Cllr Simon Marcus for “spreading mistruths” about the flagship Labour policy.

Last month, Cllr Marcus was accused of scare-mongering for sending out letters about the mansion tax to Hampstead and Kilburn constituents mocked up like a council tax demand.

Speaking at Haverstock School, Mr Miliband told the Ham&High: “I’ve seen this letter that this Conservative chap is putting out.

“I think it’s really important to say to people in the constituency, don’t believe this letter, it’s just not true.

“We have said that anybody who is a lower rate taxpayer is going to be able to defer the charge.

“People care about the NHS and people with broader shoulders are going to bear the burden.

“I think it’s the right policy and when people hear what the policy is about rather than what it isn’t about from the Tories, they will see that.”