Green leader Zack Polanski says the Burnham government is failing to act fast enough on the heatwaves, wildfires, drought and food supply risks.
Zack Polanski has accused the Burnham government of failing to meet the moment on the heatwave response, warning that Britain’s record summer temperatures, wildfires and drought are now testing public safety and the food system at the same time.
In a speech in central London, the Green Party leader said ministers were showing a “dereliction of duty” in the face of the extreme weather. He argued that the threat to health and food supplies posed what he called the biggest danger to the country since the Second World War. Polanski also urged the government to move faster on practical protections, including publicly accessible cool spaces and financial help so households can make homes more heatproof.
The Green leader said higher temperatures are no longer a one-off emergency but part of a “new normal” that demands a broader policy shift. He called for an updated plan to deal with wildfires after a summer marked by blazes in several areas and by footage of fires across Europe that he described as deeply alarming. He said the government should be prepared to use firefighting helicopters where necessary.
Polanski also criticised Burnham for not calling an emergency Cobra meeting on the issue. He said the official response was to act as if the crisis were not happening, and he cast that approach as a failure of the state’s most basic duty: keeping people safe.
“Green leader Zack Polanski says the Burnham government is failing to act fast enough on the heatwaves, wildfires, drought and food supply risks.”
His remarks came as this summer’s dry, hot weather has set numerous temperature records and put water supplies under strain. Farmers have warned that drought conditions could affect food supplies, adding economic pressure to the public-health concerns already building around the heat. The heatwave response has therefore become more than a weather story; it is now a test of how government handles infrastructure, emergency planning and climate risk.
Alongside those immediate measures, Polanski renewed his call for the government to stop new oil and gas drilling licences and to block development of the Rosebank and Jackdaw fields in Scotland. He argued that preventing future droughts and extremes also supports his party’s long-standing case for taking the water sector in England back into public ownership, saying that would help drive investment in new reservoirs.
Burnham has said he wants greater public control of the water sector across the UK, though he has not backed full renationalisation of England’s water companies. He has pointed to Greater Manchester’s bus model as a possible template, with private operators bidding for routes while local authorities control fares, timetables and services. But he has yet to explain how a similar approach would work for water in practice.
The dispute shows how Britain’s extreme summer is reshaping the political conversation, with pressure rising on ministers to treat heat as a serious national risk rather than a seasonal inconvenience. For American readers, the wider lesson is clear: as weather extremes intensify, governments will be judged not just on long-term climate policy but on whether they can protect people, homes and food supplies now.
Frequently asked questions
What is Zack Polanski criticizing the government for?
He says ministers are not acting urgently enough on heatwaves, Wildfires and drought. He described that response as a dereliction of duty.
What solutions did he propose?
Polanski called for publicly accessible cool spaces, support for households to heatproof homes, and an updated wildfire strategy. He also backed stopping new oil and gas drilling licences.
Why is the heatwave becoming a political issue?
The summer’s record temperatures and drought have strained water supplies and raised concerns about food production. That has pushed climate preparedness into a broader debate about public safety and infrastructure.
What has Burnham said about water policy?
Burnham has said he wants greater public control of the Water Sector, but he has not called for full renationalisation of water companies in England. He has floated a model based on Greater Manchester’s bus network.
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