A Conservative MP has branded the British that they are taking precautions against the unprecedented heat wave ‘cowards’ and ‘snowflakes’.
Sir John Hayes – chairman of the ‘Common Sense Group’ of Tory MPs – accused the country of being ‘afraid’ of the record heat.
His intervention came before the Met Office issued a Red Alert, meaning there is a life-threatening situation for Monday and Tuesday, when temperatures are expected to rise above 40°C.
Past heatwaves in the UK are responsible for thousands of deaths, especially among the vulnerable, with extreme heat expected to be responsible for some 2,500 deaths by 2020.
Now Sir John’s comments to the Daily Telegram have resurfaced earlier this week, ahead of the very first Red Alert to go into effect tomorrow, next Amber warning today.
The former Minister of Energy and Climate Change said: ‘This is not a brave new world, but a cowardly new world we live in in a country where we fear the heat.
“It’s not surprising that snowflakes are melting in snowflake Britain.
“Luckily, most of us aren’t snowflakes.”
The MP has been paid a £50,000 salary from an oil company since 2018 the parliamentary register.
The representative from South Holland and The Deepings continued: ‘The idea that we call for warm weather for most of the year and then close when it gets warmer is indicative of the state we live in now.’
However, COBRA emergency meetings have been held as the government makes efforts to prepare public services for the heat Boris Johnson was reportedly missing because he was planning a party at Checkers.
Schools will close and people have been urged not to use public transport, with widespread delays and stifling conditions.
Britain’s previous record temperature is widely expected to be comfortably beaten — and climate scientists warn that things will only get worse as the planet warms.
Professor Kevin McConway, professor emeritus of applied statistics at the Open University, told the Guardian“I think, assuming the weather forecasts are roughly correct, it’s very likely that there will be hundreds or thousands of additional deaths from the heat in the coming days.”
He added that he hoped it could be lower thanks to precautions taken by the public, but feared the number of deaths on a “fairly large scale” remained very likely.
Former head of government Sir David King said earlier this week it is “very likely to be the hottest heat wave we’ve ever seen in the UK”.
He explained that LBC: ‘If you’re even in the shade at 40°C heat and 80% humidity, you won’t live long.
“You just can’t get rid of the excess heat.”
Sir David added that his advice would be to ‘stay indoors’, referring to the 2003 heat wave in France, which killed 15,000 people.
He continued: ‘You give figures of thousands of deaths.
“I’m afraid the additional deaths on Monday and Tuesday should be expected in about that range — a few thousand to 10,000.”
In anticipation of the height of the heat wave, it will be sweltering in Britain today at 31°C.
Thereafter, record-breaking temperatures of over 40°C could be seen in central England early next week. That’s hotter than many parts of the Sahara Desert will be.
Temperatures are expected to remain high at night, causing people to struggle to stay cool and hydrated while trying to sleep.
The public is urged to drink plenty of water, stay out of the sun during the hottest parts of the day, and wear sunscreen and light, baggy clothing.
Sir John has been contacted by Metro.co.uk for further comment.
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