Burnham: ‘Winter of great flooding’ could be on its way<\/p>\n
As south west England deals with the aftermath of Storm Austen, Andy Burnham said the United Kingdom could face \u201ca winter of greater flooding\u201d.<\/p>\n
The prime minister was asked if the Government was playing catch-up with civil preparedness as he attended a summit organised to learn from the summer\u2019s record wildfires.<\/p>\n
A second storm, Storm Boelo will bring disruption across the UK on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Burnham told reporters on Friday: \u201cNo, we are having the conversation with people about being better prepared because we\u2019re living in a world where unexpected events seem to be becoming more and more common.<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously weather events \u2013 and we\u2019re in a situation today where the UK is facing storms, and obviously we feel for the people without power in Cornwall right now \u2013 it is just having those supplies in the house to get you through those moments.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo we are having that conversation about resilience. That\u2019s why we\u2019re holding this summit today, it\u2019s why we\u2019re putting the guidance out to the public.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe potentially are facing a winter of greater flooding, so it\u2019s about recognising all of those risks and taking action.\u201d<\/p>\n
Share<\/a><\/p>\n Key events<\/p>\n There has been a few lighthearted moments from Andy Burnham\u2019s comments to the press today.<\/p>\n Burnham will appear on Channel 4\u2019s Gogglebox tonight<\/a> as part of a Stand Up to Cancer fundraiser.<\/p>\n According to the Press Association, when asked about his views on the Celebrity Traitors so far, the prime minister said: \u201cWell, obviously, I would say that politicians have got a lot to offer to those who are looking for tactics in relation to The Traitors.\u201d<\/p>\n Burnham, who seized power from Sir Keir Starmer after plotting to be prime minister for more than a year, added: \u201cI think we can spot faithfuls and traitors a mile off.<\/p>\n \u201cOur profession teaches us to do that, but it\u2019s a great programme.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a great example of how strong British broadcasting is, and of course the BBC.\u201d<\/p>\n Meanwhile he responded to housing secretary Angela Rayner\u2019s suggestion wine and mascara would be in her emergency supplies kit, after the government recommended people to prepare, Burnham said: \u201cI\u2019m not sure that that\u2019s the top of the list in terms of the advice that we\u2019re giving to the to the public.<\/p>\n \u201cYou need to have a clear head when it comes to a challenging situation.<\/p>\n \u201cSo yeah, some tins of food, some bottled water. But I\u2019m sure people are allowed a glass or two as well to get them through a difficult situation.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Burnham: ‘Winter of great flooding’ could be on its way<\/p>\n As south west England deals with the aftermath of Storm Austen, Andy Burnham said the United Kingdom could face \u201ca winter of greater flooding\u201d.<\/p>\n The prime minister was asked if the Government was playing catch-up with civil preparedness as he attended a summit organised to learn from the summer\u2019s record wildfires.<\/p>\n A second storm, Storm Boelo will bring disruption across the UK on Saturday.<\/p>\n Burnham told reporters on Friday: \u201cNo, we are having the conversation with people about being better prepared because we\u2019re living in a world where unexpected events seem to be becoming more and more common.<\/p>\n \u201cObviously weather events \u2013 and we\u2019re in a situation today where the UK is facing storms, and obviously we feel for the people without power in Cornwall right now \u2013 it is just having those supplies in the house to get you through those moments.<\/p>\n \u201cSo we are having that conversation about resilience. That\u2019s why we\u2019re holding this summit today, it\u2019s why we\u2019re putting the guidance out to the public.<\/p>\n \u201cWe potentially are facing a winter of greater flooding, so it\u2019s about recognising all of those risks and taking action.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Britain needs to be on ‘front foot’ on wildfires<\/p>\n Andy Burnham is addressing the wildfire summit in north west England after a summer which saw homes destroyed by fires during the record-breaking heat.<\/a><\/p>\n Burnham visited Stourbridge, in the West Midlands, days after fires wreaked havoc in streets<\/a> on the edge of the Black Country town in August.<\/p>\n He said Britain needs to be on the \u201cfront foot\u201d and that the country had been playing \u201ccatch up\u201d for too long.<\/p>\n The prime minister said he expected similar summers going forward.<\/p>\n He told the summit: \u201cI think too often in the past we\u2019ve been playing catch up, and today is trying about trying to get on the front foot and recognise that the summer we\u2019ve just had is likely to be a more regular situation going forward. So make ourselves that bit stronger when it comes to the summer of 2027, and then indeed summers beyond.\u201d<\/p>\n He earlier told journalists: \u201cWe lived through a summer that we\u2019ve never seen before, with so many wildfires across the country. Fire and rescue services were stretched, firefighters working extremely difficult conditions, and it was right in that moment to commit to this summit, and today we\u2019re making good on that, but also making some initial steps to improve our response because we will have to plan for summers like this going forward.<\/p>\n \u201cSo firstly: better equipment for our firefighters, particularly the PPE, more appropriate to working in very hot summer conditions because it\u2019s very punishing work what they did this summer.<\/p>\n \u201cSecondly, aerial support: so we may see on holiday other countries where there are planes putting water from above on the fires. We believe we need that capability. The Ministry of Defence will be equipping aircraft with that capability, so we\u2019ll be better prepared for summers to come.<\/p>\n \u201cThen thirdly: just better management of the land, so that fire doesn\u2019t get the ability to spread. Those are the early commitments, but the summit will give us more as we go through it today, and people can be sure that we will be even better prepared next summer.\u201d Share<\/a><\/p>\n Andy Burnham has said he believes indefinite leave to remain needs to be \u201cearned through contribution\u201d, but stopped short of committing to all of home secretary Shabana Mahmood\u2019s immigration and citizenship reforms.<\/p>\n There has been speculation that Mahmood\u2019s plans to double the amount of time care workers will need to live in Britain before claiming indefinite leave to remain will be watered down under pressure from Labour MPs.<\/p>\n Currently the wait is five years, but Mahmood said it should be raised to ten.<\/p>\n Burnham said: \u201cWe\u2019re in a position where we\u2019ve been consulting on those reforms, and we will come forward with our decisions soon.<\/p>\n \u201cBut I strongly support the Home Secretary when she says that settlement is a right to be earned through contribution, and that will be the principle that guides our reforms.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Foreign secretary Ed Miliband is in Turkey today as he is set to join talks on the strait of Hormuz and the situation in Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n Ministers from Britain, France and Germany as well as Italy, will meet in Turkey to discuss issues in the Middle East and the war in Ukraine.<\/p>\n Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Egypt will also attend.<\/p>\n The UK said this week it would extend its military support for the Saudis, providing British fighter jets to shoot down Houthi drones and missiles fired into the kingdom.<\/p>\n Miliband will use the talks to point to Iranian tactics being replicated, including with Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia putting pressure on the maritime choke points of Bab El-Mandeb and the Suez canal.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Andy Burnham is \u201cdetermined\u201d to introduce the tourist tax across the country and could overrule councils and elected mayors, the Times has reported.<\/p>\n Burnham told an online meeting of mayors he wanted to counter the \u201cnegative\u201d atmosphere around the overnight visitor levy. It has received some opposition from the hospitality sector and some mayors.<\/p>\n According to the Times<\/a>, the prime minister told the National Economic Council: \u201cIf the mayor\u2019s name is linked to a tax, it shouldn\u2019t be the case that they\u2019re not able then to pursue what is a mayoral ambition.<\/p>\n \u201cSo I think the rewiring of the state needs to clean out this a bit more as we go forward \u2026 We\u2019ve got to get the brakes off growth basically and that\u2019s something I\u2019m determined to do.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n As Wes Streeting and James Murray have been recommending in the last 24 hours, the Government is advising people to stockpile supplies for three days.<\/p>\n Have you been persuaded to follow this advice? The Guardian would like to speak to you about what you have in your cupboard, and what other items you have in case of emergency.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>British Army veteran Steve Knighton holds a collection tin as British prime minister Andy Burnham makes a donation to the Poppy Appeal on 22 October. Photograph: Christopher Furlong\/Getty Images<\/p>\n Andy Burnham has been meeting armed forces veterans and Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal collectors to mark the start of the year\u2019s campaign.<\/p>\n Burnham welcomed them to Number 10 North\u2019s office in central Manchester, contrary to the usual convention of making a donation to the cause on the steps of Number 10 in Downing Street.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Good morning from London, where we\u2019re less than a week from Andy Burnham and John Healey\u2019s first budget, and the Government has been telling people to build up 72 hours of supplies in case of a disaster. We\u2019ll be bringing you updates throughout the day. I\u2019m Harry Taylor.<\/p>\n The Government has said that will not be putting together a \u201cshopping list\u201d for the public to buy in anticipation of a disaster, despite launching a campaign on Thursday which told people to stock up on supplies.<\/p>\n Treasury minister James Murray has been on the broadcast round this morning where has been asked about the announcement yesterday that people should assemble three days of supplies.<\/a><\/p>\n It\u2019s come after repeated warnings in the last 18 months about cyber-attacks from overseas that could affect key systems.<\/p>\n
\n <\/p>\n