Eric Pickles: Woolwich shows free society vulnerability

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles says the Woolwich killing shows how a "free and open society is always vulnerable to isolated individuals intent on violence".

He was speaking to BBC Breakfast following an attack in south-east London in which a soldier was brutally stabbed to death.

The UK's security services face a Commons inquiry after it was confirmed the two men arrested over his murder were known to MI5 for eight years.

Mr Pickles, who attended a meeting of the government's emergency response committee, Cobra, said a thorough investigation was being carried out to determine if there were shortcomings in intelligence.