Coronavirus outbreak is no excuse - Boris Johnson needs to meet flooding victims

WHAT is needed is a Government which gets its priorities right for the citizens of Great Britain.

There are communities in Yorkshire, South Wales and West Midlands which have been affected by flooding three times in February 2020.

The Environment Agency has pledged £4bn over four years, but many more billions of pounds are needed to be spent on flood defences and coastal protection, to reduce (or prevent) more misery to these communities caused by the effects of climate change which should be a top priority for the Government.

We all know that the Government cannot protect every home in the UK against flooding, but the same areas in Yorkshire, Shropshire and Herefordshire are affected when we have a severe storm.

The Prime Minister, Cabinet members, senior advisors and private secretaries, as well as Ministers and the Civil Service, need to inspect these areas for themselves by getting out of
their palatial offices in Westminster.

They should stay overnight in these flooded communities and talk to the residents who are having to tolerate these conditions. Maybe then the Government’s priorities will change and more money is invested in flood prevention.

There are the resources
 to do these large civil engineering jobs – British-owned firms, which would have the added bonus of helping local economies during the construction phase and improving living conditions and the health of those affected.

From: Dr Roger Donaldson, Woodland Court, Leeds.

IT is anyone’s guess what Boris Johnson and his team are up to. I already have the impression that he is economical with the truth. His selection of Ministers beggars belief.

I can only comment on the Environment Secretary who is already lining up an excuse when the floods next arrive by saying that some will have to suffer as it is impossible to prevent all of them. Sounds reasonable.

From: Michael Hilder, Weymouth, Dorset.

FOR the past 30 years the EU has banned dredging of rivers. Look at the results! Jeremy Corbyn criticises the Government’s response to flooding but says that a future Labour Government would adhere to all EU rules and laws including non-dredging! I implore Boris Johnson to ignore the dredging ban, and continue 24/7 the dredging of every UK river.