Karen Seymour, Mansfield Socialist Party

The widespread flooding at the start of 2024 has been some of the worst of recent times. Blame for the severity and impact has rightly been aimed at Tory and Labour governments, historically underinvesting in flood defences, the need to tackle climate change, and the underfunding of emergency services.

This week, the Guardian reported that families will face even more disruption and misery due to lower temperatures and treacherous ice following storm Henk, with either amber or yellow cold weather alerts covering all of England. This is likely to place our underfunded and understaffed NHS under even more pressure at what is always its busiest time of year.

Currently, there are 167 flood warnings in place, and 171 flood alerts across England. The government’s response to the floods has been predictably woeful. The Tories have activated a ‘flood recovery framework’. Flood-hit households will be able to apply for up to £500, and small to medium-sized businesses can apply for up to £2,500. Peanuts for those who are likely to have lost everything!

Some people are likely to be spending many months in temporary accommodation, and of course when they return to their homes, they will find it nigh-on impossible to get flood insurance, or have to pay huge excesses. Some homes may not be insured at all, due to cost-of-living pressures.

Ordinary people have shown solidarity and kindness towards their neighbours, rescuing individuals, offering food, shelter, and other support.

Meanwhile, the National Flood Forum charity has warned that people affected by this month’s floods will face the same problems in future. For communities to access government support for flood defences, either from their local authority or the Environment Agency, they have to first make a ‘business’ case, or be turned down!

Profit-based capitalism is incapable of tackling climate change; COP28 has shown us that. It can’t keep us safe from the effects of the extreme weather either! And Starmer’s Labour will be no different to the Tories in this regard, it defends the same capitalist system and has committed to match their spending plans if it wins the next general election.

Taking the big companies responsible for climate change into public ownership, under democratic workers’ control and management, is the only way to tackle the problem. This would mean we could use the wealth and resources to guarantee the investment in flood defences and plan what is needed to protect future generations.