557 job cuts in flood protection: bad timing for Owen Paterson

As Cobra meets to discuss flooding, Environment Secretary is left in deep water by predecessor

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ENVIRONMENT Secretary Owen Paterson is under pressure to reverse cuts in the budget of the Environment Agency which coordinates action against flooding as Britain faces a perfect storm of torrential rain, high winds and high tides threatening the worst flooding in years.

The Environment Agency is planning to cut 1,600 staff by October – 557 of whom are directly involved in flood risk management, according to figures obtained by The ENDS Report, an environmental policy magazine.

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is the pseudonym for a London-based political consultant who writes exclusively for The Week.co.uk.