Scottish Labour's local government spokesperson Michael McMahon said the finance secretary had made "poor choices" and that the settlement would "increase job losses, cut services and damage the economic recovery".
And politicians in India, often cursed by their constituents for flocking to disasters to show their concern, compare rather well with a US president whose first big gesture after Katrina's damage became evident is to cut a five-week vacation short by two days to give the matter his full attention.