Sir Keir Starmer has said Rishi Sunak’s response to flooding is “not good enough” and vowed Labour would take pre-emptive action earlier in the year to get ahead of the problem.
The Conservatives have been accused of being “asleep at the wheel” over floods, as more than 1,800 homes have been flooded across the south of England and Midlands.
“The response wasn’t quick enough,” said Sir Keir. “So I just don’t think it’s good enough for the government to come after the event again and express empathy.”
Speaking to broadcasters on a visit to the flood-hit areas of the East Midlands, the Labour leader said: “Get ahead of this with a task force. That’s what I would do.”
He added: “What that means: earlier in the year in the autumn, having a taskforce that brings together local authorities, emergency response, local people, to ensure that the prevention work is done.”
Asked if Labour would provide more money for flood prevention, Sir Keir said: “Of course it does need money, but the task force is not just about money.
“It’s about getting the basics done. Getting those drains cleared. Getting the local authorities together. Having a plan.”
Keir Starmer meets Ian Clement whose house in Loughborough, East Midlands flooded— (PA)
Mr Sunak defended the government’s record on flood prevention on Sunday, as he spoke to residents on their doorsteps in Oxford.
The PM said the Tory government had spent £5.2bn on flood defences, and said 49,000 homes had been made safe.
The Tory leader also told Environment Agency (EA) workers during a visit at their depot on Osney Island that “touch wood, we’re past the worst of it”.
Mr Sunak said: “Of course it’s going to be devastating for those who are impacted [this winter], which is why there’s financial support in place, but overall investment that’s going into flood defences is at a very, very high level.”
But the Liberal Democrats said the government had “disgracefully slashed” the funding for flood prevention schemes.
Earlier this winter, the National Audit Office (NAO) said the government was not adequately prepared for climate disasters.
The NAO report found that the number of homes set to get flood protection support by 2027 had been cut by 40 per cent – while 500 flood defence schemes had been abandoned.
Baroness Brown, chair of the adaptation at the Climate Change Committee, said: “Recent events demonstrate why it is vital that the government urgently prioritises and commits to a robust long-term vision for climate-change adaptation.”
Rishi Sunak speaks to members of the Environment Agency as he looks at flood defences during a visit to Osney, Oxford— (Frank Augstein/PA Wire)
Sir Keir has vowed to make flood defences “fit for purpose”, writing on social media that “people’s lives shouldn’t be upended by extreme rain”.
More than 1,800 properties have flooded due to saturated ground, the EA said, adding that the impact of high water levels are likely to continue over the next five days, and many rivers will remain elevated.
Flooded households can now apply for up to £500 to help cover the cost of repairs, the Sunak government has said. The Department for Environmental and Rural Affairs (Defra) said the government has released Flood Recovery Framework grants for communities affected by Storm Henk.
Significantly impacted households and businesses could receive 100% off their council tax and business rates for at least three months.
Grants of up to £2,500 are said to be available to eligible small-to-medium sized businesses, £5,000 could be given to property owners making their buildings more resilient to future floods, and farmers who have suffered uninsurable damage to their land are able to apply for £25,000.
More than 150 food warnings are still in place, mostly in the south and central England. There is also warning is near the River Ritec at Tenby in Wales.
Millions more Britons have been advised to brace themselves for a cold snap after forecasters issued fresh ice warnings on Monday. The Met Office issued a yellow warning for ice across southern England and South Wales, which will last from 3pm on Monday to 3am on Tuesday.
