The continent is baking. Germany, Denmark, and the Czech Republic are all recording unprecedented temperatures this week. The mercury has smashed national records, with Berlin hitting 41.
5°C and Copenhagen sweltering through its hottest day since records began. The Czech Republic saw 40.2°C in some regions.
But in Whitehall, officials are breathing a cautious sigh of relief. The UK's own heatwave protocols, revamped after the deadly 2003 European heatwave, are being quietly praised. Downing Street has received the latest Met Office data.
The message is clear: our systems are world-class. The UK Heat-Health Watch system, a traffic light model, kicked in its highest alert level for parts of southern England within hours. Critics, however, will point to the chaos of the 2022 transport failures.
The truth is, this is a test. A test of infrastructure, of resilience, and of political nerves. The real story is whether the system holds when the next heatwave hits London.
For now, the Lobby is buzzing with talk of a Cabinet Office review of 'lessons learned' from these European events. Expect a statement from the Health Secretary tomorrow.
