The Scotsman Cartoon: Flooding chaos
Eric Pickles admitted the Government made a “mistake” in not dredging rivers to prevent flooding but blamed the Environment Agency for providing poor advice.
The Communities Secretary, who has taken temporary charge of the response to the crisis, issued an unreserved apology to those affected in the Somerset Levels.
Repeated calls for dredging were made to Downing Street and other Whitehall departments by farmers and others in the region from at least six months ago but funding was declined.