UK to warn citizens to stock up on food amid threat from climate crisis and hostile states

 

The fire-gutted remains of homes on Quarry Park Road on 17 August in Stourbridge, England after a wildfire that broke out across the West Midlands. Photograph: Christopher Furlong/Getty

 

by Jessica Elgot and Kiran Stacey

 Government resilience campaign aims to ensure people can cope in a national disaster, in order to free resources for most vulnerable

 

UK citizens will be told to stock up on tinned food and take steps to ensure they are prepared for national emergencies as part of a new government campaign to improve the nation’s resilience.

The new campaign from the Cabinet Office will set out ways people can prepare for extreme weather events and potential attacks from hostile states, including stocking up on bottled water, sources told the Guardian.

The aim will be to ensure most households have basic supplies and knowledge about how to cope in a crisis, in order to free up immediate government resources for the most vulnerable.

 

Planning for a number of disasters, from cyber-attacks to extreme heat and flooding, has increased over the past few months after a number of incidents both in the UK and across the world. The plans, first reported by the FT, also include an internal reassessment of government preparations for a military attack by a hostile state affecting Britain.

The Cabinet Office minister Louise Haigh, who is Andy Burnham’s de-facto deputy, is also understood to be coordinating crisis planning across departments in Whitehall to allow swifter assistance to affected communities.

Drought is predicted to cause food shortages. Photograph: Maureen McLean/Shutterstock

During his campaign to become Makerfield MP, Burnham spoke repeatedly about the threat of flooding to communities and the inadequacy of government planning and response.

Burnham convened a Cobra meeting earlier this month to coordinate the government’s response to the heatwave, amid a threat of spreading wildfires and drought warnings.

The government was criticised, however, for its decision to send an emergency phone alert warning of wildfires last week, which charities and domestic abuse survivors said risked the safety of people who might be hiding secret phones.

Haigh’s predecessor, Darren Jones, had said that work was under way on the so-called “war book” on how international conflict might affect the UK.

The Cabinet Office said: “Safeguarding national security is the first priority of any government.

“We’re committed to raising awareness of simple steps households can take to make themselves more resilient, as well as driving forward the home defence programme to build our country’s preparedness for various threats.”