Rachael Maskell MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, commenting on today’s floods across the UK and the Tory Government’s failure to invest in adequate flood defences for surface water flooding, said:

“The Government published its National Flood Resilience Plan just over a week ago which had not made any recommendations as to how buildings and infrastructure would be protected from surface water flooding. Today we have seen the first of the autumn floods causing misery to businesses and residents. Vital infrastructure installations have flooded leaving thousands without power and vital road and rail services have flooded, causing huge delays for commuters.

“It is unacceptable for the Tory Government to be totally unprepared for the British weather. ‘Unusual’ weather events are part of our weather system and the Government is negligent in not planning to make our vital infrastructure flood resilient.”