Prime minister stays at Chequers as NHS, schools and transport providers issue warnings about fatally high temperatures
Boris Johnson was accused on Saturday of being “missing in action” after failing to attend a Cobra meeting to discuss the national heatwave emergency following predictions that thousands could die in the coming days.
“The public will have no confidence in this zombie Conservative government responding swiftly and decisively to this national emergency as this disgraced prime minister prepares to party while Britain boils,” she said. But the working from home revolution is more likely to go into reverse – temporarily at least – with workers heading into air-conditioned offices.
Transport staff in the capital spent yesterday inspecting air-conditioning units on the underground network and air cooling units on double-decker buses to ensure they are functioning. In Hampshire, gritters have been spreading sand on roads to avoid damage from heavy vehicles as asphalt begins to melt. Malthouse confirmed that transport services face “significant disruption”.
Some schools will be closed altogether on Monday and Tuesday while others have shortened their day or asked parents to send children to classes in PE kits or other cool clothing. Other schools have opted to cancel events such as sports days., UK fire chiefs warned that similar scenes in England and Wales were “almost inevitable” with new data revealing that the number of outbreaks has already reached record levels.
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