National Emergency

There’s a lot of pressure on the government to declare a National Emergency due to the floods in the North of England. I’ve just been sent a petition to sign.

Now, I’m all for the affected communities getting the resources they need to recover, but it’s clearly not a NATIONAL emergency.

 

Yup, it’s nowhere near the level of 2007.

Yes, isolated villages have been hit badly, but it’s not the level we’ve seen before.

And what else exactly does National Emergency provide that’s not already being done? Red Cross are out, all emergency services are out, and the army are involved. Extra financial resources have been promised. Not sure what else is can be done by declaring.

 

Emergency funding from the EU can be requested for a start....

"Member states can apply to the EU for extra funds from the bloc's Solidarity Fund to help tackle natural disasters.

But member states do not have to make any declaration over an emergency beforehand.

For regional emergencies, the amount given depends on the scale of the damage and cost of the operations. It is capped depending on the size of the area's economy. In theory the government could apply for up to for €509m (£436m), on behalf of South Yorkshire, the EU says."

 

A couple of days ago, I actually heard a Radio Sheffield reporter use the phrase, "unprecedented river level not seen at this height since 2007". It was bad enough the first time, but then they insisted on repeating the clip every news bulletin.

 

Not a national emergency for me in its own context. In the big scheme of things though the national emergency, it could be argued, is climate change of which the flooding could be said to be a result of. Therefore, perhaps it is, in a round about sort of way a national emergency as it brings climate change and its relentless impacts to the forefront of debate. So....maybe it IS a national emergency after all.

 

But if the government admit that climate change is an emergency, then they can't criticize Greta Thunberg and Extinction Rebellion any more for saying that it is an emergency...

 

It needs someone with experience to sort it out.
Oh ****... I've gone and said the wrong word again. Ban me, quick !

 

Bahre cobamma.

 

I'd not disagree with you

 

Would the leave-voting folk of South Yorkshire refuse such a handout on principle?

 

It would be a national emergency if the same had happened in London or the Home Counties

 

Face, Spite, Nose, Cut

Narrrrrr, surely not ;-)

 

It’s terrible for the people caught up in this and although very helpful the wartime spirit is shining through with neighbours and the wider community coming together.
Alas although this is very welcome by the victims it’s not gonna be enough for them to get their lives back on track .
The whole house building strategy needs to be looked at and some sort of government insurance scheme whereby immediate help is given for shelter etc .
Listening to the radio just now it seems we’ll have another national emergency on the horizon with the NHS struggling and winter hasn’t arrived yet .

 

When will people wake up to the notion that the tories (or far right tories like Mogg & Farage) don’t care for us at all - the north has been hit hardest proportionally by savage austerity (but let’s blame the council) - on Jeremy Vine today, after stating that Corbyn thought it might be considered an emergency if in Surrey, that we’ll-known journalist & nutrionist, Lowry Turner replied that the North needed to get that big chip of its shoulder! No emergency, just a big fat chip!

 

Chips are better up North

 

And to make matters worse, Cheltenham is off tomorrow!

 

You mean like the Brexit Party MEPs?

 

I used to think the same for many years... but I've had some really good ones at VC Jones, Whitstable, Steins in Padstow and a place I cant recall the name of in Plymouth.

Though I must admit, I'm a bit more partial to Belgian frites these days.

 

If they cancel the festival, then that’s a legitimate national emergency.

 

Quite.