The Med is melting. Literally. Red heat alerts have been slapped on France, Italy, Spain. Temperatures are hitting 40C. British tourists are being warned of 'significant disruption'. This is not your granddad's package holiday.
Sources in Whitehall say the Foreign Office is 'monitoring closely'. That is code for 'we are worried'. There's no formal FCO advice to change travel plans. But the travel industry is already feeling the heat. Airlines are warning of potential delays due to ground crew heat restrictions. Tour operators are bracing for cancellations.
The real story is back home. This heatwave is a political grenade. The government is terrified of another 'summer of chaos' at the airports. Remember that Brexit bonus? Border queues at Dover are already causing headaches. Now add extreme heat. It is a perfect storm.
Labour is circling. They will demand answers on why the government is unprepared. Again. The usual talking points: 'resilience', 'planning', 'lessons learned'. But the public will see through it. They will see holidaymakers stuck on tarmacs. They will see elderly relatives struggling in unairconditioned homes.
Downing Street is in a bind. They can't control the weather. But they can be seen to be doing something. Expect a 'heat summit' in the next 48 hours. Cobra might be convened. The health secretary will do a round of interviews. The transport secretary will praise the 'hardworking staff'. Classic crisis management by numbers.
But the real test is the polling. If this heatwave disrupts the school holidays, the government will be in trouble. 40C in Spain is a headline. 40C in Manchester is a catastrophe. The British psyche is not built for this. We complain about 25C.
The coming days will be interesting. Watch for the narrative shift. If the deaths start rising, the pressure will build. The government knows this. They are already preparing the 'unprecedented' line. But unprecedented is becoming the new normal.
For now, check your travel insurance. And maybe stay home.
