"England Confronts Historic Flooding: Calls for Action as Rains Submerge Regions"

Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister of the UK, is facing calls from opposition parties to take more decisive action in response to severe flooding in England. Labour has suggested the creation of a taskforce and is urging Sunak to visit the affected areas, while the Liberal Democrats also press for his presence to witness the damage firsthand. Despite around 280 flood warnings and the impact of Storm Henk, there are no plans for a Cobra emergency meeting. The Environment Agency is actively responding, with measures in place that have reportedly protected 44,000 properties this week. However, both Labour and the Liberal Democrats criticize the government for not meeting flood prevention targets, referencing a National Audit Office report on reduced protection measures. The government attributes the shortfall to inflation and maintains that funding for flood defense has been increased.