It’s lovely out... so make sure you stay inside
Met Office heatwave advice branded ‘simplistic’ by MP who says people just need a bit of common sense
‘To avoid heatstroke and sunburn the NHS recommends you wear sunscreen and a hat and drink plenty of water’
‘Most people have got more common sense than experts give them credit for’
MANY people have been enjoying the sunshine as the UK was treated to the hottest day of the year this week.
But people sunbathing in their gardens have been told to avoid the hottest hours of the day by the Met Office, in advice branded “simplistic”.
The forecaster said: “To avoid heatstroke and sunburn the NHS recommends you wear sunscreen and a hat and drink plenty of water. So, if you’re spending time in your garden, try to avoid the hottest part of the day, and follow NHS guidance.”
The advice is part of the forecaster’s Weather ready campaign, designed as a guide on “simple actions people can take to reduce the negative impacts weather could have on their lives”.
It came after its data suggested a hot summer was twice as likely as usual this year, with heatwaves also more likely.
Similarly, guidance from the Department of Health added: “If you can’t avoid strenuous outdoor activity, such as sport, DIY or gardening, keep it for cooler parts of the day – for example, in the early morning or evening.”
Public health experts have raised concerns about the health effects of climate change and rising temperatures. In 2020, 2,556 people died in the UK after three severe heatwaves, making that summer the deadliest in recent years.
David Davis, Conservative MP for Haltemprice and Howden, said the advice “risks being simplistic” and added that “most people have got more common sense than experts give them credit for”.
He said: “You can get enough sunshine in half an hour, if you want, if that’s what you’re aiming for.
“But generally speaking I encourage people to be outside as often as you can be... This is one of those areas where that old-fashioned thing, common sense, has to be exercised.”
It came as “blood rain” thunderstorms were set to strike this week, prompting weather warnings.
The coloured rain could fall in some parts of the country as red dust or particles get mixed with rain. Downpours, lightning, strong winds and hail are also predicted to move in. A yellow thunderstorm warning was issued for between last night and the early hours of today in the South East, including London.
Richard Miles, of the Met Office, said: “There are some dust concentrations in the atmosphere above the UK at present which might well be washed out in the rain tonight, but it’s likely to be relatively small amounts on the whole.”
Tuesday was the country’s hottest day of the year so far, as temperatures in the South East peaked at 27.5C (81.5F). The temperatures were warmer than average for mid-may, the forecaster said, but not unheard of.
The first day of the year when 25C (77F) or higher is recorded in the UK has moved earlier by a fortnight, from May 19 between 1961 and 1990 to May 6 from 1991 to 2020.
The number of warm days, where the average UK temperature is more than 20C, has doubled over the same period, with 35 recorded between 1961 and 1990 and 76 between 1991 and 2020.
The forecaster said: “The UK average mean temperature for May has increased from 9.8C to 10.6C in 30 years.
“As our climate warms, we expect to see a corresponding increase in the number of hot days.”
On Tuesday, a Conservative MP was arrested after being accused of rape and sexual assault offences between 2002 and 2009. He was also held on suspicion of indecent assault and misconduct in public office. That this public figure was not named begs the question: why does the right to privacy now trump all other concerns, even in cases involving such serious allegations?
In February, Supreme Court judges dismissed an appeal brought by Bloomberg over the publication of information about a person under criminal investigation, ruling that such a person generally has “a reasonable expectation of privacy”. This comes after high-profile privacy cases like that involving Sir Cliff Richard, whom the BBC identified as being investigated over allegations of historical sex abuse, but for which he was never arrested or charged. Sir Cliff won his case against the broadcaster in 2018.
However, it is now apparent that this new standard of privacy can have pernicious consequences. One is that the failure to name the MP has resulted in an explosion of false accusations being made online against people – in this case, Conservatives MPS – with no connection at all to the case. It is surely absurd that responsible news organisations – which are well-versed in media law and equipped with expertise on how to preserve victims’ anonymity, a reason often cited for not naming a subject – are silenced, while wild speculations can be broadcast on social media platforms with impunity.
There are good reasons to name public figures, and those who hold positions of power and influence, under investigation for serious crimes. In the case of an MP, constituents might justifiably expect that their representative’s ability to carry out his or her duties will be impeded, and indeed in this instance the MP has been asked to stay away from Parliament. Another is that information sharing can aid the police, encouraging people to bring evidence to investigators.
Britain is coming to resemble European countries like Germany, where the right to privacy overrides all other considerations, including the public interest in being informed about cases. The Government proposed a Bill of Rights and a Brexit Freedoms Bill in the Queen’s Speech in an effort to move away from EU law, such as that enshrined in the Human Rights Act. It needs to address the lack of balance in the law pertaining to privacy as a matter of urgency.