James Forsyth James Forsyth

The Pickles plan

The Secretary of State for Local Government on how he’s taking on councils

issue 08 December 2012

Some Cabinet ministers develop airs in office. Eric Pickles isn’t one of them. Sitting at the head of a conference table that looks like it’s been purchased from a discount office supplies catalogue, he explains his outlook on life. ‘There are two kinds of people,’ he says. ‘There are those who open that door and courteously speak to people, and there are those who bellow.

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