UK June heat record broken for third day in a row as ministers urged to act

The UK government is facing increasingly urgent calls for action to protect people against the intensifying effects of the climate crisis, as the highest maximum temperature record for June was broken for the third day in a row. With the country in the grip of the worst heatwave ever recorded in western Europe – a direct result of global heating – the chair of parliament’s environmental audit committee warned ministers of the urgent threat and said the UK was falling “far short of what is needed”. Toby Perkins said a significant number of deaths were likely as a result of the current heatwave. Previous heatwaves have killed thousands. He also warned of “devastating” effects on hospitals, care homes and schools, as well as transport, water, food and IT systems. Perkins demanded answers from the environment secretary , Emma Reynolds, on how the government planned to tackle overheating in buildings and for its views on establishing maximum workplace temperatures, prescribing air conditioning for vulnerable people and changing school timetables. Others have warned of danger to children in baking classrooms and of losses of hundreds of millions of pounds to the economy. The highest maximum temperature record for June was broken three times this week, peaking at 36.9C in Wattisham, Suffolk, on Friday, up from 36.7C at Merryfield, Somerset, on Thursday. …