The coming war between the coalition and the councils

Cameron vs the councils may well be the most vicious political battle of 2011 – and one I preview in my News of the World column (£) today. It comes in four stages. First was last week, when the increasingly impressive Eric Pickles said he wanted a 27 percent cut in funding over four years. Grant Shapps weighed in behind him – saying that even 8.9 percent in a year (the maximum cut facing councils) was do-able without any cuts in frontline services. The councils, predictably, said it is not possible. And the threats have started.

The strategy amounts to nothing less than a human shield strategy. “If you make us cut,” they say, “then we’ll turn off street lights, or sack lollipop men” (both real examples). Of course, the risk falls upon school kids crossing the road unaided, or single women making their way home at night. When locals are angry, the councils will say: blame the government and their wicked cuts.