We are now closing this blog but you can read our report here
Summary of the day …
Weather forecasters and politicians have come in for strong criticism after hundreds of homes and businesses across the UK suffered devastating flooding in Storm Bert but the Met Office has said it issued sufficient warning
There were growing complaints in south Wales, one of the areas most heavily hit, that the Met Office issued only a yellow warning, rather than an amber or red, and that not enough new defences had been put in place by the Welsh government since storms last wreaked havoc in the area four years ago
The environment secretary has said the UK’s flood defences are in the “worst condition on record” and promised the new Labour government has committed £2.4bn to upgrade them
Green party of England and Wales co-leader Adrian Ramsay linked the storm to climate change, saying “[politicians] who want to stop the drive for net zero need to explain to those whose homes have been flooded during Storm Bert why they think climate action is a luxury
There is still one severe flood warning, 125 flood warnings and 151 flood alerts in place in England. There are six flood warnings and 18 flood alerts in effect in Wales, and two flood alerts and three flood warnings in place in Scotland.
