Defence secretary Wes Streeting has launched the Government's 'Be Ready' campaign, urging households to stockpile essential items such as bottled water and tinned foods to prepare for winter threats.
Appearing on this week's Question Time, held in Scunthorpe, Streeting outlined practical steps for households to boost their resilience against events like flooding, power cuts, and cyber attacks.
Details of the 'Be Ready' campaign
When host Fiona Bruce asked about the campaign, Streeting said: "So, today the Government launched a 'Be Ready' campaign. And what we had in mind when the campaign was being prepared was about some of the everyday threats we face, we've seen the wildfires this summer, we'll be thinking ahead worried about flooding this winter and what happens if the water pipes burst in the freezing cold, as can happen."
He advised households to keep "three litres of bottled water per person per day to last you three days," along with tinned goods that don't require heating, first aid kits, battery-powered torches, and portable phone chargers.
Streeting added: "We want to get the country ready, there's not a specific thing we've got in mind when we put this out but of course those things I've just listed that might help you through some powercuts or it might also help you through if your local shop is subject to a cyber attack and your card isn't working at the till."
Audience reaction and political response
An audience member challenged the campaign, asking: "Don't you think that's just scaremongering? Because people then go and panic buy which then affects us again."
Conservative shadow foreign secretary Tom Tugendhat defended the advice, saying: "Having some personal resilience is something that many people do already. Forgive me madam, I don't agree with you, I think the British people that by and large are pretty sensible."
Bruce interjected: "Who can forget how many loo rolls we bought under the pandemic?" Tugendhat responded: "I don't think it's a big ask to ask people to have a couple of days of supply."
Streeting concluded by explaining the Government wants people "to be alert but not alarmed."
