Communities secretary, Eric Pickles, has announced the first 152 authorities which have signed up to his cash incentive for a council tax freeze.

He has heaped praise on the authorities which bowed to his demand – while last week, he accused those which didn't of giving residents ‘an almighty kick in the teeth'. As ever with central government, the secretary of state is likely to take credit for the policies the public like, while passing the buck for anything unpopular.