𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Andy Burnham is under growing pressure to call a COBRA meeting over the drought plaguing the country – which is on course to record its warmest summer ever.

The Prime Minister has failed to publicly discuss the extreme heat gripping the nation despite Britain being in the grips of its fifth heatwave this year.

Officials have issued an amber warning for extreme heat for Thursday with some parts of England facing temperatures of up to 38C.

But Mr Burnham has failed to heed calls for a high-level government emergency committee meeting that coordinates the national response to major crises or threats.

Farmers have warned of food shortages with three quarters of England in drought.

Liberal Democrat rural affairs spokeswoman Sarah Dyke MP said: “Wildfires and drought have devastated treasured landscapes across the country, communities are heading into another week of widespread water shortages, and farmers are buckling as their livelihoods are yet again put at risk. There must be a serious response from Andy Burnham to match the scale of the situation, starting with an emergency COBRA meeting.”

An amber alert for London and parts of the South East, East Midlands, East of England, West Midlands and South Yorkshire from 9am to midnight on Thursday.

Fire chiefs have warned of sustained fire risk in the hot, dry conditions, with July the busiest on record for wildfires and firefighters responding to 185 wildfires in the first 10 days of August.

Max Anderson, head of communications at the Conservative Environment Network, said: “It’s time for Andy Burnham to start acting like the Prime Minister. Across the country, drought is threatening farmers’ livelihoods, putting people’s health at risk, and undermining our food security. It’s time for him to call an urgent COBRA meeting to fix water shortages facing farmers and consumers.

“Climate change means that the threats to our water security will accelerate. For the sake of our farmers’ livelihoods, our nation’s health, and our food security, Britain must change course. And that starts with Andy Burnham proving he can take urgent and decisive action to make sure we are not facing the same fate next summer.”

Met Office senior scientist Mike Kendon said: “Another record-breaking summer now looks increasingly likely for the UK, following the second-warmest June, and second-warmest July on record and yet another heatwave imminent.

“We’ve seen temperatures hit 38C in June, 35C in early and late July, and this threshold is looking to be reached again in the next few days.

“It’s worth remembering we also reached 35C in late May and easily exceeded both the May and June previous all-time temperature records this year. These statistics are a clear reminder – if one were needed – of the stark changes that we are seeing in the UK’s climate.”