Andy Burnham, the newly appointed Prime Minister and Labour Party MP for Makerfield, has called his first COBRA (Cabinet Office Briefing Rooms) emergency meeting. This urgent session is scheduled for Wednesday in response to the continuing extreme heatwave affecting the UK.
The meeting will bring together ministers, officials, and key agencies to coordinate the government’s response to high temperatures, wildfires, and drought conditions across the country. Attendees will include representatives from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the Home Office, the Department of Health, and the Environment Agency.
This is the second COBRA meeting held this summer to address extreme heat-the first took place in June under the previous leadership of Sir Keir Starmer. A No 10 spokesperson commented, “The Prime Minister will chair a meeting of COBR- the government emergency committee-this afternoon on the UK’s ongoing response to extreme heat, wildfires, and drought.”
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The spokesperson acknowledged the considerable challenges faced this summer by various sectors, stating: “We know how challenging this summer is proving, particularly for firefighters tackling wildfires, farmers working in drought conditions, and NHS staff in busy A&E units. We will continue to take the action needed to keep communities safe, protect water supplies and safeguard the environment.”
An Amber Extreme Heat warning has been issued by the Met Office, with temperatures forecast to reach approximately 37°C in parts of southern and eastern England as well as the Midlands. This warning will remain in effect throughout much of Thursday.
Met Office Chief Forecaster Chris Bulmer explained, “While the peak heat will be more short-lived than recent heatwaves, temperatures widely reaching the mid-30s Celsius on Thursday bring the potential for impacts for some, which is why a Met Office warning has been issued. High pressure is now becoming dominant and temperatures will build day-by-day. Southerly and southeasterly winds will draw in hot air from Europe, contributing to further notable heat in what has been a hot and dry summer so far for many in the south of the UK.”
Met Office Deputy Chief Forecaster David Oliver added, “Thursday will be the peak of the heat this week, but some warmth will persist in the south and southeast on Friday before cooler air moves in from the northwest on Saturday, easing temperatures more widely.”