Risk from Storm Babet hard to predict as rain came from east, claims Thérèse Coffey

‘Our accuracy of predicting where such heavy rain would fall was not to the same degree as if it had been [rain from the west],’ Thérèse Coffey told MPs. Photograph: MI News/NurPhoto/Shutterstock

The environment secretary has suggested the damage done by Storm Babet was harder to predict because the rain came in from the east.

Thérèse Coffey’s remarks to the Commons environment committee prompted the Lib Dems to urge her to “get a grip” and “stop blaming everyone else for her failings”.