Flood defence cuts risk disaster - Huhne

3.56.09pm GMT Tue 14th Nov 2006

Liberal Democrats launch campaign against DEFRA flood defence cuts

Today the Liberal Democrats will launch a new campaign against the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs flood defence cuts, ahead of the launch of the Environment Agency's Flood Warning Campaign.

The website has an online petition and comments page to compile a detailed picture of the impact of the cuts, first uncovered by the Liberal Democrats in August.

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Chris Huhne MP said "Despite the Environment Agency's best efforts to protect us against flooding, the Government has already pulled the rug from under their feet.

"While the Prime Minister is admitting that global warming is the key threat to our civilisation, his Environment Secretary is cutting the flood defences that will protect us against some of its effects.

"This is an incredibly foolish false economy when we know that storms are becoming more extreme and flood risk is increasing."