Starmer slams Sunak's slow response to flooding as thousands of homes devastated

08 January 2024 , 21:49

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Keir Starmer meets Loughborough resident Ian Clement whose home was flooded in Storm Henk (Image: PA)

Keir Starmer has slammed Rishi Sunak’s response to last week’s flooding, as households and businesses continued to count the cost of the damage.

The Labour leader toured streets still being cleared up after the deluges and met locals devastated by them. Mr Starmer laid into No10 as weather experts more flooding was on the way due to rising river levels.

He revealed Labour would set up a flood resilience task force to make sure preventative measures were in place before heavy winter rains. Mr Starmer said: “The response wasn’t quick enough. I just don’t think it’s good enough for the Government to come after the event again and express empathy.”

Ian Clements' flooded front room (PA)

“Get ahead of this with a taskforce. That’s what I would do. Of course it needs money but the taskforce is not just about money. It’s about getting the basics done. Getting those drains cleared. Getting local authorities together. Having a plan.”

Mr Starmer spoke after meeting Ian Clement in Loughborough, Leics, whose home was flooded during Storm Henk last week. More than 1,800 properties have been swamped across the country. And the ­Environment Agency warned “significant” floods are expected to continue on parts of the lower River Trent and along the Thames and Severn until tomorrow.

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Experts said the impact of flooding in the East Midlands “will be felt for many months”. Minor groundwater flooding is also expected in parts of Dorset, Wiltshire and Hampshire and may hit other parts of the South as well as Yorkshire. There were 169 flood warnings in place yesterday and 159 flood alerts. Residents in the Trent Valley were advised to prepare for evacuation.

Sleet and snow showers have also been forecast for many parts of the country. The Met Office issued yellow weather warnings for ice. London and the South East are among the areas expected to be hit, with temperatures plunging to 0C.

The Met Office said: “Given these wintry showers, and also wet surfaces after recent wet weather, some icy patches are likely on untreated surfaces. Additionally a few of the snow showers could turn quite heavy, these probably only affecting a narrow zone but a few places could see 1-3cm, mainly over the North Downs.”

Detling in Kent was hit by snow yesterday as was the Killhope Mining Museum in Co Durham. Temperatures dipped to minus 8C at Altnaharra in the Scottish Highlands and are expected to be lower than average for this time of year for much of the week.

Adam Aspinall