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UK floods: David Cameron tells ministers to stop the blame game UK floods: David Cameron tells ministers to stop the blame game
(about 17 hours later)
David Cameron has ordered his feuding cabinet ministers to put an end to infighting and sniping at the Environment Agency as alarm spread in government about the potential scale of serious flooding along the Thames Valley later this week.David Cameron has ordered his feuding cabinet ministers to put an end to infighting and sniping at the Environment Agency as alarm spread in government about the potential scale of serious flooding along the Thames Valley later this week.
The prime minister, who returned to the flooded West Country on Monday, was said to be exasperated by the communities secretary, Eric Pickles, who attacked the competence of the Environment Agency on Sunday and apologised for the policy decisions taken by the environment secretary, Owen Paterson, who is recuperating from eye surgery.The prime minister, who returned to the flooded West Country on Monday, was said to be exasperated by the communities secretary, Eric Pickles, who attacked the competence of the Environment Agency on Sunday and apologised for the policy decisions taken by the environment secretary, Owen Paterson, who is recuperating from eye surgery.
Ed Miliband said finger-pointing at a time of national crisis was disgraceful.Ed Miliband said finger-pointing at a time of national crisis was disgraceful.
A contrite Pickles, put in charge of the government's flood response last week, appeared at the Commons to lavish praise on the Environment Agency, the day after he had claimed the government's only mistake had been to believe it housed experts on flood defence.A contrite Pickles, put in charge of the government's flood response last week, appeared at the Commons to lavish praise on the Environment Agency, the day after he had claimed the government's only mistake had been to believe it housed experts on flood defence.
He insisted: "It is entirely wrong to suggest for one moment that I have issued even the slightest criticism of the Environment Agency's marvellous work force. My admiration for the Environment Agency exceeds no one, and I believe it is time for us all to start to work together, not to make silly party political points"He insisted: "It is entirely wrong to suggest for one moment that I have issued even the slightest criticism of the Environment Agency's marvellous work force. My admiration for the Environment Agency exceeds no one, and I believe it is time for us all to start to work together, not to make silly party political points"
Pickles also sought to mend fences with Paterson by saying: "We are two peas in a pod. We are brothers from another mother."Pickles also sought to mend fences with Paterson by saying: "We are two peas in a pod. We are brothers from another mother."
Paterson had been so infuriated on Sunday that he rang Downing Street to complain about what one former minister described as "the simplistic nonsense" being spouted by Pickles.Paterson had been so infuriated on Sunday that he rang Downing Street to complain about what one former minister described as "the simplistic nonsense" being spouted by Pickles.
The communities secretary defended his performance by saying: "I believe that the things I say in public should be those that I believe in private."The communities secretary defended his performance by saying: "I believe that the things I say in public should be those that I believe in private."
There was undisguised anger in the Environment Agency and at the Department for Environment at the way in which Pickles had belittled their expertise and asserted both bodies had rejected the need to dredge rivers in Somerset.There was undisguised anger in the Environment Agency and at the Department for Environment at the way in which Pickles had belittled their expertise and asserted both bodies had rejected the need to dredge rivers in Somerset.
The former environment minister responsible for flooding Richard Benyon, who was the indirect target of Pickles's weekend criticism, told the Guardian: "A lot of people are becoming very fed up with the way in which this debate is being reduced to a binary choice about whether rivers should be dredged or not. I have to point out floods are caused by rain not silt. We are experiencing the most serious rainfall since 1760, and we had a drought two years ago. We need holistic solutions." The former environment minister responsible for flooding, Richard Benyon, who was the indirect target of Pickles's weekend criticism, told the Guardian: "A lot of people are becoming very fed up with the way in which this debate is being reduced to a binary choice about whether rivers should be dredged or not. I have to point out floods are caused by rain not silt. We are experiencing the most serious rainfall since 1760, and we had a drought two years ago. We need holistic solutions."
He added: "Rivers in my constituency have not been dredged once in my lifetime, but if they were the rivers just flow faster through my constituency down towards Reading where it will cause flooding. Understandably people are angry and frustrated, but what is needed is calm and proportion about the long-term solutions."He added: "Rivers in my constituency have not been dredged once in my lifetime, but if they were the rivers just flow faster through my constituency down towards Reading where it will cause flooding. Understandably people are angry and frustrated, but what is needed is calm and proportion about the long-term solutions."
Cameron, acutely aware that the suffering flood victims will have zero patience with infighting politicians at a time when their livelihoods and homes are threatened, will stay out of London for a second day to visit flood-affected areas, requiring Tuesday's cabinet to be cancelled.Cameron, acutely aware that the suffering flood victims will have zero patience with infighting politicians at a time when their livelihoods and homes are threatened, will stay out of London for a second day to visit flood-affected areas, requiring Tuesday's cabinet to be cancelled.
He chaired an emergency meeting of Cobra by telephone, during which he was updated on the latest weather threats and further flood warnings. Thousands of homes are being evacuated, including some close to Heathrow Airport.He chaired an emergency meeting of Cobra by telephone, during which he was updated on the latest weather threats and further flood warnings. Thousands of homes are being evacuated, including some close to Heathrow Airport.
Sixteen severe flood warnings were in place along the Thames as river levels continued rising. The Met Office said strong winds forecast for the middle of the week could add to the problems facing the country.Sixteen severe flood warnings were in place along the Thames as river levels continued rising. The Met Office said strong winds forecast for the middle of the week could add to the problems facing the country.
Cameron said he was not interested in the Whitehall blame game: "I am only interested in one thing, and that is making sure everything government can do is being done, and will go on being done to help people through this difficult time."Cameron said he was not interested in the Whitehall blame game: "I am only interested in one thing, and that is making sure everything government can do is being done, and will go on being done to help people through this difficult time."
He spurned calls for Environment Agency chairman, Chris Smith, to be dismissed. "This is a time for everyone to get on with the jobs that they have. This is not the time to change personnel here. This is the time to get on, do everything we can. I back the EA, I back the work they are doing.He spurned calls for Environment Agency chairman, Chris Smith, to be dismissed. "This is a time for everyone to get on with the jobs that they have. This is not the time to change personnel here. This is the time to get on, do everything we can. I back the EA, I back the work they are doing.
"There will be time later on to talk about things. Right now everybody's got to focus on the job in hand. That is the EA, every department in government, and let's not forget the emergency services and the army, who are doing a brilliant job.""There will be time later on to talk about things. Right now everybody's got to focus on the job in hand. That is the EA, every department in government, and let's not forget the emergency services and the army, who are doing a brilliant job."
The previously patient Smith cracked on Monday morning when he conducted a round of broadcast interviews to hit back at Pickles, saying his staff know "100 times more" than any politician about flooding.The previously patient Smith cracked on Monday morning when he conducted a round of broadcast interviews to hit back at Pickles, saying his staff know "100 times more" than any politician about flooding.
An internal Environment Agency memo to staff issued yesterday said: "We are deeply concerned that previously high morale is being undermined by media and public attacks, directing blame for problems outside the agency's control at our chairman, our managers and our staff. Those who are helping to protect lives, homes and businesses need support, not constant and corrosive criticism. And they need it now. There will be time to consider what lessons can be learned, and the implications for future flood defences, when it stops raining."An internal Environment Agency memo to staff issued yesterday said: "We are deeply concerned that previously high morale is being undermined by media and public attacks, directing blame for problems outside the agency's control at our chairman, our managers and our staff. Those who are helping to protect lives, homes and businesses need support, not constant and corrosive criticism. And they need it now. There will be time to consider what lessons can be learned, and the implications for future flood defences, when it stops raining."
Smith also blamed Treasury funding rules for the failure to dredge rivers, saying his agency had offered money for dredging, but matching funding had not come from local government, or other local bodies.Smith also blamed Treasury funding rules for the failure to dredge rivers, saying his agency had offered money for dredging, but matching funding had not come from local government, or other local bodies.
Pickles admitted in the Commons he had done nothing at the time to encourage local councils to take up the agency's offer to dredge rivers or to change the Treasury rules. He also tempered his enthusiasm for dredging as a blanket solution and said bespoke solutions were required.Pickles admitted in the Commons he had done nothing at the time to encourage local councils to take up the agency's offer to dredge rivers or to change the Treasury rules. He also tempered his enthusiasm for dredging as a blanket solution and said bespoke solutions were required.
At a briefing, government officials tried to give a sense of the scale of the crisis. Pete Fox, a flooding expert at the agency, said about 900 homes had been flooded since the end of last week and it expected "some hundreds of properties flooded over the course of the next two or three days"At a briefing, government officials tried to give a sense of the scale of the crisis. Pete Fox, a flooding expert at the agency, said about 900 homes had been flooded since the end of last week and it expected "some hundreds of properties flooded over the course of the next two or three days"
Fox described the recent bad weather as unprecedented, causing the agency to issue a record number of warnings over the past 49 days.Fox described the recent bad weather as unprecedented, causing the agency to issue a record number of warnings over the past 49 days.
Sarah Davies, senior adviser at the Met Office, said there would be a lot more rain and winds of up to 80mph across the south and west this week on Wednesday and returning on Friday. This could be exacerabated by snow and freezing conditions on higher ground.Sarah Davies, senior adviser at the Met Office, said there would be a lot more rain and winds of up to 80mph across the south and west this week on Wednesday and returning on Friday. This could be exacerabated by snow and freezing conditions on higher ground.
"It is concerning us because it is not only going to be very wet, but very windy. Whilst we're all concentrating on the impact from the flooding, we also need to be aware there could be impact due to strong stormy winds. Those could involve trees down, transport disruption and possibly power disruption," she said."It is concerning us because it is not only going to be very wet, but very windy. Whilst we're all concentrating on the impact from the flooding, we also need to be aware there could be impact due to strong stormy winds. Those could involve trees down, transport disruption and possibly power disruption," she said.
Rail executives warned there could be problems with late trains in the south and west for several months, as the network is repaired following the storms.Rail executives warned there could be problems with late trains in the south and west for several months, as the network is repaired following the storms.
Robin Gisby, a director of operations of Network Rail, said: "The water will come down but I think this will stay with us for some months as we restore and dry out substructures … Am I particularly interested in the on-time performance of trains at the current time?Robin Gisby, a director of operations of Network Rail, said: "The water will come down but I think this will stay with us for some months as we restore and dry out substructures … Am I particularly interested in the on-time performance of trains at the current time?
"No I'm not … at the moment, I'm just interested in moving people and running the network.""No I'm not … at the moment, I'm just interested in moving people and running the network."