Flint: 'Coalition cuts too far and too fast'

The Liberal Democrat leader of Hull City Council has accused the Communities Secretary, Eric Pickles, of engaging in "gunboat diplomacy".

Carl Minns is one of more than ninety prominent Lib Dem councillors who've signed a letter criticising the scale and pace of the cuts being implemented by the coalition government.

Caroline Flint, the Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, criticised the timing of the letter.