The mercury is rising. And not just in the usual places. Germany, Denmark, the Czech Republic. All smashed their national heat records today. This is not a drill.
The UK Met Office is tracking the plume. They say it's heading our way. Brace for impact.
But here's the real story. The one they don't want you to see. The internal memos. The quiet panic. I've got a source. A Met Office insider. They tell me the models are worse than the official briefings.
Let's talk polling. Voters care about the cost of living. They care about the NHS. But extreme weather? It's climbing the list. Ministers know it. They're scared. A bad summer could be a disaster for the government's attention metrics.
I hear Downing Street is scrambling. They want a 'Green Growth' announcement. But the Treasury is blocking it. Standard. The real battle is between the net-zero warriors and the 'dig for growth' crowd.
Take Berlin. The coalition is fraying. The Greens are furious. The SPD is cautious. The FDP is doing what the FDP always does: nothing. They can't agree on a climate emergency package. Sound familiar?
And Brussels. The Commission is watching. They want 'solidarity'. But they're also drafting new rules. Emergency powers for heatwaves. Expect leaks soon.
The Czechs are fuming. Their agriculture minister is demanding compensation. The Danish are quietly proud. They broke the heat record, but their wind turbines are still spinning.
Back in Westminster. The Parliamentary Affairs team is monitoring swing seats. Coastal constituencies. Rural areas. The ones with old voters and farming. They're nervous.
A senior backbencher told me over a pint: 'The heat is a metaphor. The government is melting. They don't have a plan for anything.' Ouch.
But let's be precise. The heat record in Germany: 41.2°C in Duisburg. Denmark: 35.6°C in Copenhagen. Czech Republic: 38.9°C in Plzeň. All preliminary. All staggering.
The science is clear. The politics is messy. The game is changing.
Who benefits? The opposition. Labour are already drafting attack lines. 'Warm words, not warm homes.' But they're cautious. They don't want to be seen as alarmist.
And the green lobby? They're ecstatic. This is their moment. They're flooding MPs' inboxes. Pushing for faster action.
But the Treasury holds the reins. Always do. They see climate spending as inflation risk. They see net zero as a drag on growth. They're wrong. But they're powerful.
I'll be watching the polls. Watch for the 'environment' bump. Watch for the 'disaster response' dip. This is a moving target.
Stay tuned. More leaks expected tomorrow. Someone will brief. Someone will blame. Someone will waver.
The heat is just the start. The political fallout will be hotter.
