Security Minister Dan Jarvis has insisted the government's new public awareness campaign to prepare Britons for an emergency or disaster has not been launched because of a "specific or imminent threat" to the UK.
Speaking in the Commons, Mr Jarvis said the "Be Ready" drive was about having "an honest conversation" with the public about the risks Britain faces. The campaign, which launched last week, urges people to keep a three-day supply of goods at home, including non-perishable food and bottled water, and to sign up to the Priority Services Register, a service that helps gas, water and electricity companies identify customers who may need extra support in an emergency.
Preparedness levels 'far below' European neighbours
Mr Jarvis said only 13% of people think their household is largely or totally prepared for a disaster, which he said is "far below" the level seen among European neighbours. He added: "This government is committed to having an honest conversation with the public about the risks that we face and helping them to prepare, household by household, step by step, to improve our national resilience."
He continued: "To that effect, we've published updated preparedness guidance for households and launched a three-year campaign to raise awareness of the simple steps people can take to be ready for everyday emergencies. I want to be clear from the outset that we are not launching this campaign because of any specific or imminent threat. Instead, launching this campaign brings the UK into line with almost every single European country and countless others around the world who already run similar campaigns every year."
Storm deaths cited as grim reminder
Defending the campaign, Mr Jarvis said the deaths of two men this weekend were "an all-too-grim reminder of the devastating impact that storms can have". He also pointed to the thousands of people left without power as proof the campaign is necessary.
He told MPs: "I saw this firsthand when I visited Cornwall in the wake of Storm Goretti earlier this year. Weather stations recorded wind speeds of 100 miles an hour. 50,000 homes, schools, and businesses were left without power. Entire communities became trapped as fallen trees blocked country lanes. I heard families' fear as they talked about how quickly the basic necessities of everyday life were stripped away: power, water, internet. And I thanked the first responders for their tireless effort clearing roads and reconnecting homes."
He added: "Now, to people who think the campaign is an overreaction, think of the people that I met in Cornwall, and people in countless other communities across the UK, including tens of thousands of people who were without power this very weekend, whose lived experience proves otherwise."
Storm Boelo impact and defence warning
Storm Boelo battered the UK over the weekend, with two men killed by falling trees. A man in his 20s was pronounced dead in north London after his car was hit by a tree, and another man, aged 60, died in Dumfries and Galloway. According to the Energy Networks Association, more than 90,000 homes were without power on Sunday evening.
Elsewhere, Defence Secretary Wes Streeting warned Britain must be braced to go to war within 1,000 days due to Russia's growing military capacity. On Sunday, he said the UK has three years to improve its defences alongside NATO allies because adversaries will be ready to attack by 2030. He added that the threat of "state-sponsored terrorism" by hostile countries that could target infrastructure is ever-increasing.
