Prime Minister Andy Burnham has defended the Government’s advice for people to stockpile food, water and other essentials, saying that “unexpected events seem to be becoming more and more common”. Speaking as the UK faced storms and after online disruption caused by a security flaw, he said people need to be better prepared for emergencies.
Mr Burnham suggested that, alongside the recommended emergency supplies, people should be allowed “a glass or two” of wine to help them through a difficult situation. His comments follow a joke by Housing Secretary Angela Rayner that her emergency survival kit would include a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc wine.
Government advice on emergency supplies
Mr Burnham said: “I’m not sure that that’s the top of the list in terms of the advice that we’re giving to the public. You need to have a clear head when it comes to a challenging situation. So some tins of food, some bottled water, I think maybe. But I’m sure people are allowed a glass or two as well to get them through a difficult situation.”
Talking to BBC Radio 5 Live, he added: “I’m not sure a bottle of wine is your best first port of call if you’re in a slightly crisis situation, but it probably helps when you’ve done the hard work, but I’ll stick to the basics.” He said he would keep beans, soup and Twiglets in his cupboard for an emergency.
Resilience in a changing world
The Government has drawn up recommendations for households to store three days’ worth of bottled water and tinned food to cope with a crisis such as a war, an online attack or a natural disaster. Mr Burnham denied that people were being asked to step up because the Government had failed in its responsibilities, telling reporters in Liverpool: “No, we’re having the conversation with people about being better prepared because we’re living in a world where unexpected events seem to be becoming more and more common.”
He added: “Obviously, weather events, and we’re in a situation today where the UK is facing storms and obviously, we feel for the people without power in Cornwall right now. It is just having those supplies in the house to get you through those moments. So we are having that conversation about resilience.” He was speaking after holding a summit on how to respond to wildfires following the summer heatwaves.
Treasury minister’s stockpile confession
Treasury minister James Murray said he has not followed the Government’s guidance on stockpiling supplies. The paymaster general told BBC Breakfast that he had a stockpile of coffee, adding: “If you look at, say, Ireland or other countries in Europe like France and Netherlands, they’ve had this system for quite a long time, the idea of having a bit of stuff at home to protect yourselves in case something goes wrong. So it’s quite normal in other countries. I think it’s a bit more interesting here because we haven’t really talked about it as a country in recent years.”
Asked what he had stockpiled, he said: “I’ve got quite a lot of coffee in my house… it’s for individual people to take choices. I’m not going to say: ‘Here’s a Government shopping list.’” He added: “I’m not going to pretend I’ve followed all that advice myself yet.”
Checklist and political reaction
The Government’s checklist recommends nine litres of water per person – enough for three days – along with non-perishable food such as tinned meat and vegetables or dried fruit. It also suggests hand sanitiser, wet wipes and toiletries, food for pets, supplies for babies, a battery-powered or wind-up FM radio, a torch, blankets, a charged power bank, cash in case payment systems collapse, a first aid kit and copies of important documents.
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch did not say whether she would be stocking up, but urged the Government to take its own action to “look after us” rather than just giving advice. She told the Press Association during a visit to Cheshire Constabulary Headquarters that many people in rural areas, like her own North West Essex constituency, already take precautions because they have no shops nearby. “We have power cuts on occasion, and if you’re in the middle of nowhere, it’s dark and cold. You do need to look after yourself. What I want to see is the Government doing what it needs to do to look after us. The Defence Secretary is talking about stockpiling, but he won’t tell us if he’s found the money to pay for our defence. We need him to be looking after this country, manning the borders, ensuring the soldiers have all the equipment that they need.”
