Labour council leader Sir Richard Leese has warned residents of Manchester that government cuts to essential services will hit the poorest hardest as the council seeks to save £109m this year.

Speaking at Manchester Town Hall yesterday, Lees spoke of the 'ideological' raft of cuts that have seen the government unveil £279m of cutbacks over two years that will see essential services such as Sure Start and youth centres close unless community groups and schools could run them: