Eric Pickles's appointment as Faith Minister is bad news for secularists, The New Statesman, The appointment of Eric Pickles to Faith Minister causes a right pickle for atheists

The Communities Secretary is a fierce defender of religious privilege. 

Earlier today, as Westminster reacted to Boris Johnson's announcement that he will stand for parliament in 2015, David Cameron carried out the mini-reshuffle necessitated by Baroness Warsi's resignation. Baroness Anelay, previously Lords Chief Whip, has replaced the Tory peer as Minister of State at the Foreign Office (attending cabinet), and Lord Taylor has taken Anelay's old post. Lord Bates has replaced Taylor as Under Secretary of State at the Home Office.

But the most eye-catching change is the transfer of Warsi's faith brief (which she hung onto after her demotion in 2012) to Eric Pickles. The Communities Secretary has regularly used his platform to attack secularists, declaring earlier this year that Britain is a "Christian nation" and that "militant atheists" should "get over it". That outburst was prompted by a legal bid by the National Secular Society to prevent local councils including prayers as part of their official agenda. He said:

I’ve stopped an attempt by militant atheists to ban councils having prayers at the start of meetings if they wish. Heaven forbid. We’re a Christian nation. We have an established church. Get over it. And don’t impose your politically correct intolerance on others.

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We will curb the parking cowboys, says Cabinet Minister: Victory for Mail campaign as official probe is launched into bully boys, Daily Mail

 Eric Pickles

  Communities Secretary Eric Pickles said rogue firms will not be tolerated, and launched Government investigation

  Parking squads across the country issue official-looking £100 fines, in some cases targeting the elderly and disabled

  Senior adviser to David Cameron today said the abuse by parking firms is worse than the PPI scandal

  Founders of parking firms have become rich from motorists' misery - including a CBE adviser to John Prescott 

Parking cowboys who threaten drivers with huge ‘fines’ will face a Government investigation, in a victory for the Daily Mail.

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles said ‘bully boy’ tactics would not be tolerated and rogue firms could be prosecuted.

The probe was announced as a leading adviser to David Cameron said abuse by private parking squads was worse than the PPI scandal.

Over the past week, the Daily Mail has revealed the aggressive tactics used by firms to coerce hundreds of thousands of drivers into paying inflated charges.

The parking squads issue official-looking £100 tickets, often to drivers just a few minutes late returning to their cars. Elderly and disabled people have been specifically targeted at hospitals and High Street stores.

Meanwhile, the firms’ founders have become multi-millionaires on the back of motorists’ misery. As the Mail reveals today, they include David Taylor CBE – who was a special adviser to John Prescott when he was Deputy Prime Minister.

Last night, Mr Pickles said: ‘We will stand up to rogue practices by corporate bully-boys, and we will be investigating the clear abuses that the Daily Mail has identified.

'It is not acceptable for any firm to be making money through misleading marketing or aggressive enforcement tactics.’

He warned major High Street firms they could also be breaking the law by employing parking cowboys and said they risk boycotts from consumers.

Mr Pickles said the Government was already ‘taking firm action to rein in the over-zealous town hall parking wardens who make life a misery for local shops, undoing Labour’s war on the motorist’.

Ros Altmann, a government adviser and pensions expert, compared the abuses to the PPI scandal, in which customers were mis-sold payment protection insurance.

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Further Reading:

Ticket the old, they'll always pay: How the ruthless parking cowboys tell their wardens to exploit the vulnerable Daily Mail Parking Campaign

The parking ticket fat cats - one's a chum of Prezza and two drive Aston Martins. Meet the men who've made millions from motorists' misery