An Australian woman living in London has sparked outrage after branding Brits "soft" for their response to the record-breaking June heatwave. Taila Batiste, an Australian currently residing in Battersea, south-west London, took to TikTok to share her thoughts on the British reaction to the hot weather, which has seen temperatures soar to 41°C in what is being called the UK's "hottest day ever."
Heatwave Causes Disruption Across Europe
The UK and most of Europe have been grappling with scorching temperatures due to a "heat dome" effect originating from the Sahara Desert. According to the World Health Organisation, 1,300 people have died across Europe since 21st June due to the severe weather conditions. The Met Office has issued an Amber Warning for hot weather in southern England and South Wales, where temperatures are forecast to reach 35°C.
In her TikTok video, Batiste expressed disbelief that London had come to a virtual standstill, noting that such temperatures wouldn't warrant a second thought in Australia. "Brits are a bit soft, I think," reads the caption of the video. "I'm just on the train in London because of the heatwave, and they have reduced services. So the next few days there are less trains, and they are advising you not to travel unless it's completely necessary. Also, schools are closing early because of the heat. Can you imagine in Australia if we got sent home, or couldn't get to and from work because of the heat? My God, the whole economy would shut down."
Backlash from Brits and Fellow Aussies
The clip has become a sensation online after hitting a nerve with Brits. Many viewers lashed out at her for claiming they needed to "toughen up." One wrote: "Girl, my classroom today was 37 degrees. I had no aircon, 30 kids and old infrastructure that's designed to retain heat. Please, sit this one out." Another added: "If you're in London, you should know then that the buildings and trains aren't equipped to deal with the heat." A third stated: "It's called being acclimatised; we are not used to these kinds of temperatures in the UK." A fourth said: "Hey, guess what, we don't have this kind of weather often. You DO have it often in Australia and are equipped for it."
Even Batiste's fellow Aussies hit back at her remarks. One TikTok user said: "Think about it as if Australia had snow and freezing temperatures for a week. You wouldn't cope; it would be the same thing." A second added: "As an Australian also living in the UK... you clearly haven't lived here long enough if you think the heat is the same over here. UK buildings are built to trap all heat in. 35° outside means min 30° inside!" Another stated: "Okay, but as Australians it's something we are used to? We've got fans, aircons, cooler building designs. They aren't used to heat like that, they don't have aircons like we do, their buildings are designed for the colder weather."
Batiste Defends Her Comments
In an interview with Australian media, Batiste described the backlash as "up there with the most hate" she had ever received. "I'm being called uneducated because I'm simply saying that in Australia, life would go on as normal," she told news.com.au. She added: "Meanwhile, schools and public transport are shut down, and the city is on red alert in London if it hits 30 degrees. They were getting so defensive and angry - probably because they're hot." She also said: "I have rage-baited the whole of England."
Batiste told news.com.au that while she didn't anticipate becoming such a focal point when she aired her views on TikTok, she still believed Brits needed to "toughen up." She stated: "It was around 32 degrees on the day I filmed, but the coming days were slated to hit 35 and 36. I've been in England during summer four times now, and every time there has been a 'heatwave'. Why are they not realising this is their climate changing, and maybe their infrastructure and attitudes need to change too? A heatwave in summer is not new for them, but they are acting like it's an apocalypse."
