Anti-water charge campaigners are promising to have ‘tens of thousands’ on the streets in the new year.

Left-wing parties say plans to impose bills on wasteful households are a “trojan horse” to make sure charges can return.

The promise comes as the Housing Minister urges politicians to be ‘mature’ in deciding the future of charges.

Brid Smith of People Before Profit says the public has already made it clear that charges must go: “As the contents of the report become clear and they are more analysed and it becomes very clear that this is a trojan horse to bring water charges in in the future,

“There will be serious moves to organise big demonstartions in the new year.”