COMMUNITIES Secretary and Essex MP Eric Pickles told the Conservative party conference in Manchester is now time for planning law to be enforced.

It came as the courts were due to rule on the principle of evicting travellers from Dale Farm at Crays Hill, following a series of legal challenges.

He accused Labour of "creating a system where special treatment was given to travellers" - and signalled a clampdown on travellers' camps on protected land.

He said: "It's not right to have planning rules which gave a green light to traveller camps being dumped in the Green Belt and open countryside.

"The Green Belt should be applied evenly and fairly, so we're changing planning rules to give it more protection."

He added: "The Dale Farm saga has now spent 10 years before the courts.

"Justice delayed is justice denied; it's time that planning law was enforced.

"It's time to uphold the British rule of law."