The mercury hit 41.7 degrees Celsius in Germany today. A record. While Berlin swelters, Whitehall is quietly smug. The World Health Organisation has praised Britain's heatwave preparedness. The ‘Heatwave Plan for England’ is now a global benchmark.
So who is sweating? The Health Secretary is on manoeuvres. Sources tell me that NHS Emergency Planning teams have been on standby for weeks. The ‘Level 3’ alert was triggered last Thursday. That is earlier than last year. The difference? A new ‘Heat-Health Watch’ system, integrated with the Met Office. No fanfares. Just a quiet expansion of the alert system.
But let's be clear. This is not just about temperature. It is about politics. The WHO endorsement is a weapon. The Health Secretary can now point to the plan and deflect questions on NHS waiting lists. The shadow health team is furious. They were briefed on the plan only yesterday. Too late.
Meanwhile, backbench MPs are calling for a debate on ‘climate resilience’. Labour MPs are circling. They smell an opportunity. The usual suspects have tabled an Early Day Motion on ‘Extreme Weather Preparedness’. This is a warning shot. The PM's office knows it.
Germany's record heat is a double-edged sword. It shows the UK did something right. But it also raises the stakes. If the temperature hits 40 in London? The plan will be under enormous strain. Transport for London is already running reduced services. Tubes are like ovens. The commuter army is muttering. That is a problem for the Mayor.
Inside the Cabinet, there is a quiet war. The Environment Secretary wants new legislation on housing insulation. The Treasury is blocking it. Cost. Again. The Chancellor is said to be dismissive of ‘eco- directives’. The tension is thick. Will it spill over? This is one to watch.
The takeaway? The WHO praise is a boon. But the clock is ticking. The real test is not a plan on paper. It is a weekend of 35 degree heat and a collapsing power grid. I am told National Grid is confident. But they said that in 2003. We all remember the blackouts.
For now, Westminster is an ice cream melting in the sun. The Opposition are licking their lips. The government is fanning itself with the WHO report. But the forecast is changeable. A thunderstorm is predicted for Tuesday. That might break the heat. But the political temperature? That is only rising.
