WE keep hearing from the Government that “we are all in this together” in respect of the economic challenge facing Britain and the consequent cuts in the public sector.

Ministers should, therefore, be embracing the whole country and not being divisive in the way regions such as the North-East are attempting to deal with the demand for savings.

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles has emerged from the election as the Tories’ version of John Prescott: a no-nonsense bruiser whose role is to connect with party grassroots.

Mr Pickles is starting to make Mr Prescott look positively sophisticated.

He is to diplomacy what Darren Bent is to loyalty.

Yesterday, as Durham County Council revealed further details of cuts amounting to £125m, Mr Pickles was suggesting that the authority receives funding others “can only dream of”.

It is the kind of provocative statement – along with others such as the suggestion that Durham County Council produces its budgets using an abacus – that helps no one.

The truth, of course, is that Durham’s formula grant from the Government is higher than southern areas such as Mr Pickles’ wealthy constituency in Essex because it has far higher levels of deprivation. The need is simply greater and, therefore, the impact of the cuts is felt more acutely.

We understand that tough choices need to be made to tackle the deficit.

But it is an understanding of the challenges facing the regions that we need from the Government’s Communities Secretary – not someone who seemingly goes out of his way to rub our noses in it.