A Britain of wildfires and flood risks: be sure, the climate crisis is real, and we will deal with it | Angela Eagle
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- Angela Eagle, writing in her first major piece as the UK's new environment secretary, says Britain has endured its third drought in five years, the driest July in almost two centuries, and wildfires that have burned down homes, with flash flood risks now heading into autumn.
- Reform UK's deputy leader told Britons to 'enjoy' the heatwaves and labeled the government's climate efforts 'arrogant' — remarks Eagle called 'insulting' to firefighters, the public, and drought-hit farmers.
- The prime minister convened an emergency Cobra meeting this month bringing together senior ministers, firefighters, and weather forecasters to coordinate the wildfire response.
- The UK government imposed a temporary ban on the sale of disposable barbecues as part of its wildfire prevention measures.
- The UK government is spending almost £100m to strengthen Britain's capacity to respond to wildfires and extreme weather events.
- Farmers are receiving a £65m drought funding boost alongside rule changes easing the construction of on-site reservoirs and what the government calls 'the largest nature-friendly budget in history.'
- Eagle pushed back on Conservative calls to lift restrictions on burning heather on moors and peatlands, arguing that wetter, healthy peatlands hold more water and are less fire-prone, citing the National Trust's Holnicote estate as visible proof.
Why it matters: Farmers gain £65m in drought relief plus easier rules for on-site reservoirs, while retailers face a temporary disposable barbecue ban and £100m flows to wildfire and extreme-weather response — and Eagle's public fight with Reform UK and the Conservatives over rewilding versus peatland burning turns environmental policy into a partisan battleground.
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