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Cameron and other party leaders visiting flood-hit areas Flood-hit areas face long haul to recovery says Cameron
(about 2 hours later)
Political leaders are visiting flood-hit areas across England as Defence Secretary Philip Hammond urged an end to "recriminations" over the crisis. It will take time for flood-hit areas of England to recover, David Cameron has said on a visit to Devon.
David Cameron is visiting Dawlish in Devon, which lost its rail link in last week's storms, after spending the night in the West Country. "We are in for the long haul but the government will do everything it can to coordinate the nation's resources," he said while visiting Dawlish, which has lost its rail link in the storms.
A cabinet meeting scheduled for Tuesday has been moved to later in the week.
Labour leader Ed Miliband and UKIP leader Nigel Farage are visiting affected communities on the Thames.Labour leader Ed Miliband and UKIP leader Nigel Farage are visiting affected communities on the Thames.
The BBC News Channel's chief political correspondent Norman Smith said this was likely to be the pattern in the coming days, with politicians keen to find out for themselves what practical help can be given straightaway. The prime minister is expected to chair another Cobra meeting later in London.
Community spirit He has also announced that he will hold a press conference in Downing Street at 16:45 GMT.
Arguments about past policy decisions and the political bickering of recent days had been put aside, he added, as politicians focused on the immediate challenges of helping communities at risk.
There are currently 16 severe flood warnings in place across the south-east and south-west of England - with the likelihood of further rain in the coming days.There are currently 16 severe flood warnings in place across the south-east and south-west of England - with the likelihood of further rain in the coming days.
Mr Cameron is seeing, in person, the damage done to the mainline rail link between Devon and Cornwall at Dawlish following the collapse of a sea wall last week. 'More extreme weather'
The rail link is expected to be out of action for at least six weeks. "It is a huge challenge and we have had the wettest start to a year for 250 years, some of the most extreme weather we have seen in our country in decades," Mr Cameron said.
The BBC's Graham Satchell said the prime minister wanted to understand the scale of the problem and had already been impressed by the community spirit. "We have to recognise it is going to take time before we get things back to normal.
Mr Miliband is also making his first flood-related visit to the Thames Valley while Mr Farage, who has called for a public inquiry into river management, is visiting Chertsey in Surrey. "If money needs to be spent, it will be spent; if resources are required we will provide them; if the military can help, they will be there.
Speaking from Purley on Thames in Berkshire, the Labour leader told ITV's Daybreak that the floods were a "wake-up call" for government, and investment in flood defences and other measures could not be "downgraded" in future. "We must do everything but it will take time to put these things right."
Point of contact Mr Miliband also made a flood-related visit, to Purley in Berkshire.
After reports of Cabinet in-fighting in recent days over the performance of the Environment Agency, Mr Hammond said politicians would be doing a "great disservice" if they did anything other than focus on helping those at risk. "Local people have incredible knowledge about what needs to be done, and the help that needs to be provided, and they should be listened to," Mr Miliband said.
"We can't attribute any one event to climate change, but we know climate change is going to mean we have more events like this: more extreme weather events, more flooding, more storms. It's clear that flood defence needs to be more of a priority for government.
"If there's one thing we know about... extreme weather, is that the costs, financial human and other costs, of not acting are much greater than the costs of acting, and it is a totally false economy to say, 'don't act'.
"The government's got to realise this; it's got to take the problem seriously."
'Finger-pointing'
A cabinet meeting scheduled for Tuesday has been moved to later in the week as ministers seek to turn their focus squarely onto the relief effort after reports of cabinet in-fighting over the performance of the Environment Agency.
Speaking in the village of Wraysbury, Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said politicians would be doing a "great disservice" if they did anything other than focus on helping those at risk.
"I don't want to spend the time now in the middle of this crisis recriminating and finger-pointing," he said."I don't want to spend the time now in the middle of this crisis recriminating and finger-pointing," he said.
"At the moment the priority is to get help to people in areas directly affected and prevent more flood damage being caused.""At the moment the priority is to get help to people in areas directly affected and prevent more flood damage being caused."
Mr Hammond, whose Runnymede constituency has been badly affected, said some constituents had expressed concerns there were too many public agencies operating on the ground, potentially causing confusion. Mr Hammond, whose Runnymede constituency has been badly hit, said some constituents had expressed concerns there were too many public agencies operating on the ground, potentially causing confusion.
He said he was pleased that a single point of contact for the emergency authorities had now been established and that police were on hand to reassure people worried about looting should they want to leave their homes.He said he was pleased that a single point of contact for the emergency authorities had now been established and that police were on hand to reassure people worried about looting should they want to leave their homes.
But Conservative MP for Windsor, Adam Afriyie, said people wanted a more "visible" presence from the armed forces and the police on the streets.But Conservative MP for Windsor, Adam Afriyie, said people wanted a more "visible" presence from the armed forces and the police on the streets.
"I do understand how they feel because when you've got hundreds of homes being evacuated and water literally flooding down the streets in a current, it's quite clear that you're going to be wanting as much help as you can get.""I do understand how they feel because when you've got hundreds of homes being evacuated and water literally flooding down the streets in a current, it's quite clear that you're going to be wanting as much help as you can get."
Mr Farage, who has called for a public inquiry into river management, is visiting Chertsey in Surrey.