Street drains would be cleaned every autumn under Starmer plan to tackle flooding
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Street drains would be cleaned out every autumn under Labour plans to stop people’s homes being flooded, Sir Keir Starmer has announced.
Sir Keir said more money would be put into “prevention work” as he accused the Government of being too slow to respond to heavy rainfall.
The Labour leader made the remarks as he unveiled proposals to create a new flooding preparations task force during a visit to Loughborough, Leicestershire.
He said “practical, sensible” ways to reduce the risk of homes flooding were being hampered by bad organisation at a local and national level.
Speaking to residents whose houses had been hit by the deluge, he said ministers were failing to “get the basics done” in terms of prevention.
“We’ve got to get ahead of this and that means earlier in the year, in the autumn, having a taskforce that brings together local authorities, the emergency response, local people, to ensure that the prevention work is done,” he said.
“Some of the drains that are now being cleaned could have been cleaned beforehand – 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.”
Asked whether he would put more cash into flood preparations, he added: “Of course it does need money, but the taskforce is not just about money. It’s about getting the basics done, getting those drains cleared. This flooding always happens in December, January, February – we know that.
“What we’ve got to do is, in the early autumn, get local plans together to make sure all measures are taken to prevent this and to ensure the response is very rapid. This is the practical, sensible thing that needs to be done.”
More than 1,800 homes across the South of England and the Midlands have been flooded after Storm Henk swept the country, bringing heavy rainfall.
Speaking during a visit to Oxford at the weekend, Rishi Sunak defended the Government’s handling of the crisis, saying he is investing £5.2 billion in flood defences. Ministers have also opened a compensation scheme for victims of flooding, with households eligible for £500 and small businesses up to £2,500.
Last month, a report by the National Audit Office warned that Britain is not adequately prepared for climate disasters, including the increased risk of floods. It said: “Recent events have shown that Government must do more to help prepare for and develop resilience to extreme weather.”
