Flood tax: how we'll all pay for the government's mistakes

Flood victims have been thrown a small life-ring by the government after the prime minister said the 6,500 families that were forced to leave their homes would not have to pay council tax while their properties are made liveable.

David Cameron has put aside £4 million to give to councils to cover the shortfall. This is all very noble but it's shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted and more importantly it should be pointed out that the heartache and destruction that the flooding has caused could have been avoided, or at least reduced, if the government hadn't cut the budget for flood defences in the first place.