The Conservative party was elected on a promise to slash public services this year-the Liberal Democrats must answer for themselves-and huge cuts affecting local government have been announced today. May I ask the Minister why what he has proposed today is so unfair? Why is it that the impoverished northern mill towns, the ex-coalfields and the struggling seaside towns will take the largest share of the cuts? Why is it that the big cities-Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds and Birmingham-will take the largest cuts? Why is impoverished Newham to have a cut of £4.6 million and wealthy Richmond one of just £900,000?