Eric Jack Pickles ( born April 20 , 1952 in Keighley , West Yorkshire , England ) is a British politician and the current Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government in the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government . Eric Jack Pickles ( born 20 April 1952 ) is a British Conservative Party politician . Pickles was appointed Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government of the coalition government headed by Prime Minister David Cameron on 12 May 2010 .