1. 4 updates

Miliband: UK 'sleepwalking into a national security crisis'

Ed Miliband has attacked the Prime Minister for giving up the fight against climate change, warning that Britain is "sleepwalking into a national security crisis".

Live updates

Hammond: 'Climate change clearly a factor in weather'

Conservative Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said:

Climate change is clearly happening, it is clearly a factor in the weather patterns that we are seeing.

That's why we are investing significant amounts of money in increasing our flood resilience in the UK.

Of course these floods are a terrible tragedy for all the people affected, but we shouldn't forget that hundreds of thousands of properties have been protected from flooding by the investment we've made over recent years.

Miliband: Climate change cross-party consensus needed

Mr Miliband said: "The science is clear. The public know there is a problem. But, because of political division in Westminster, we are sleepwalking into a national security crisis on climate change. The terrible events of the last few weeks should serve as a wake-up call for us all."

Labour leader Ed Miliband has called for the cross-party consensus on climate change to be rebuilt.

Labour leader Ed Miliband. Credit: Andrew Matthews/PA Wire/Press Association Images

The Labour leader said he had "genuinely believed" that Mr Cameron was sincere about his passion for green issues while in Opposition, but sacking Charles Hendry as energy minister and appointment of Owen Paterson - viewed as a climate change sceptic - as Environment Secretary suggested otherwise.

Read: Miliband - UK 'sleepwalking into a national security crisis'

Advertisement

Miliband says the 'dice are loaded' over climate change

Labour leader Ed Miliband has referred to 2012 as the second wettest winter on record and this winter as a one in 250-year event in explaining his position on climate change.

In an interview with The Observer, Mr Miliband said: "If you keep throwing the dice and you keep getting sixes then the dice are loaded. Something is going on..."

We have always warned that climate change threatens national security because of the consequences for destabilisation of entire regions of the world, mass migration of millions of people and conflict over water or food supplies.

But the events of the last few weeks have shown this is a national security issue in our own country too with people's homes, businesses and livelihoods coming under attack from extreme weather. And we know this will happen more in the future.

– Labour leader Ed Miliband

Miliband: UK 'sleepwalking into a national security crisis'

Ed Miliband has attacked the Prime Minister for giving up the fight against climate change, warning that Britain is "sleepwalking into a national security crisis".

Ed Miliband has attacked the PM over climate change. Credit: Andrew Matthews/PA Wire/Press Association Images

The Labour leader said the winter storms that have been wreaking havoc in the country should serve as a "wake up call".

It was "extraordinary" that the Prime Minister was now portraying climate change merely as "a matter of conscience", when it had been a "core conviction" when he was in Opposition.

Back to top