Three decades ago this year the community charge was introduced into Scotland. In 1990 it was rolled out across England and Wales. By the end of that year Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was out, brought down by the fury that erupted from what was dubbed the poll tax.

That an issue as apparently esoteric as local government finance could bring down a powerful PM should be very taken very seriously by today's government. It has partially recognised the dangers by continuously stalling on its social care Green Paper but on the rest of local government funding it appears tin-eared.