Eric Pickles forced to say sorry over Hackney error

Communities and Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles has apologised after wrongly pinpointing Hackney as the worst planning authority during a Commons debate.

Shadow communities and local government secretary Hilary Benn claimed Mr Pickles used out-of-date figures in later naming Haringey instead in a ministerial correction.

To laughter from MPs during Commons departmental questions, Mr Benn branded Mr Pickles's performance last week as "shambolic", adding: "Was he just determined to blame a Labour council as long as it begins with the letter H?"

Mr Pickles hit back saying he corrected the record at the first opportunity and had written to the mayor of Hackney to apologise.