This is a red grouse video.
The flooding disasters in Britain have various causes. Contrary to what right-wing politicians say, gay people are not one of them. Contrary to what right-wing politicians say, refugees are not one of them (quite the contrary).
Now, on to one of the real causes.
By Peter Lazenby in Britain:
Grouse shooting ‘making flood wreckage worse’
Saturday 16th January 2016
GROUSE shooting is contributing to the flooding which has devastated dozens of communities across Britain, the Green Party warned yesterday.
Landowners’ cultivation of moorland to suit grouse breeding — instead of managing it to prevent flooding — allows water to pour off moorlands instead of being absorbed.
Green leader Natalie Bennett reiterated a call for a ban on the “sport” after visiting flood-hit communities in Yorkshire.
“Management of moors for intensive shooting is simply incompatible with 21st-century needs — which is why the Green Party is backing the call to ban driven grouse shooting in the UK,” she said.
She said 30,000 people have signed a petition calling for a ban.
Landowners regularly set fire to moorlands to create new growth compatible with grouse breeding.
The burning destroys a water-holding moss known as sphagnum.
As reported in the Morning Star, in August 2012 campaigners in the Yorkshire Pennine town of Hebden Bridge launched a “Ban the Burn” campaign and marched to Walshaw Moor above the town.
The town was flooded in June and July 2012, and suffered its worst-ever floods three weeks ago.
Campaigners say that not only do landowners benefit financially from grouse shooting, they also receive millions of pounds in government grants to “manage” the moorland.
In 2012 the owners of Walshaw Moor were granted £2.5m over 10 years by government-backed Natural England for “environmental stewardship” of its land.
Walshaw Moor has been regularly burned by its owners to create good breeding conditions for grouse shooting.
UK’s floods are the responsibility of the super-rich: here.
Dear Kitty. Some blog 
Reblogged this on Art, animals, and the earth.
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Tuesday 26th January 2016
posted by Peter Lazenby in Britain
THE Tories’ short-sighted and crude cost-cutting plans have put flood victims at risk of infection from contaminated water, unions and politicians warned yesterday.
The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) revealed that the government has axed one-third of fire services’ emergency incident units used for decontamination, leaving many residents in flooded areas at risk of contamination.
Incident Response Units (IRUs) are used for decontamination following incidents such as fires at chemical factories, and other incidents involving dangerous substances.
They have also been used following floodwater contamination.
Most sewage treatment plants are adjacent to rivers, into which effluent is deposited.
Company Yorkshire Water told the Morning Star that in its region alone “around 100” sewage treatment plants were overcome by flood water four weeks ago.
Their contents — including raw sewage — were carried through streets by flood water which inundated homes and businesses.
Fire services across Britain had 65 IRUs carrying decontamination equipment including mobile showers.
But as reported in the Morning Star on December 22, the government decided to axe 22 of them as part of its austerity programme. They were removed from service on December 31.
The move has been slammed for reducing fire services’ ability to deal with the aftermath of chemical and other incidents, and for compromising the capacity to deal with flood water contamination.
FBU Yorkshire and Humber regional secretary Pete Smith said: “If you go to any sort of incident involving chemicals or sewage you need to be decontaminated.
“With the floods you just do not know what is in the water. Flood water is going to mix with sewage. Firefighters and the public, it is going to get all over them.”
He condemned the axing of the IRUs as “short-sighted.”
“They were introduced for a reason. This is a life-saving service.”
Shadow home secretary Andy Burnham said: “I urged ministers to put these plans on hold last month but they axed a third of these emergency vehicles at the height of the floods.
“Yet again, David Cameron’s crude cost-cutting hindered the country’s ability to cope with flooding.
“The plans were hatched in secret, without any public information or consultation. Ministers must make a statement to Parliament about the impact of this decision on the country’s ability to respond to national emergencies.”
http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/a-21a3-Cost-cutting-has-put-flood-victims-at-risk-of-infection#.VqcccFLa44A
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Friday 29th January 2016
posted by Peter Lazenby in Britain
CIVIC leaders in northern England yesterday slammed a “totally inadequate” government aid package to areas swamped by December’s devastating floods.
During a PR tour of Cumbria aimed at “restoring tourism,” Prime Minister David Cameron pledged £2 million to help the Lake District national park.
But Cumbria County Council leader Stewart Young said that with an estimated £500m damage to infrastructure in the area — including £20m in the Lake District alone — the funding promised was “totally inadequate.”
The PM’s jaunt took place as MPs launched an inquiry into future flood prevention.
Environment, food and rural affairs committee chairman Neil Parish said: “Flood damage of the sort suffered by communities across the UK this winter is becoming all-too-frequent an occurrence.
“Questions need to be answered about whether there are adequate measures in place to plan for frequent, extreme flood events.”
He said the inquiry will look at how effectively the Environment Agency predicts and prepares for floods and how far the government’s policies protect communities in high-risk areas.
In further embarrassment to the government, the Environment Agency issued flood alerts and warnings in at least five of the government’s 20 flagship new housing zones last month, analysis by Greenpeace found.
This is despite the government’s own advisers warning that tougher controls are needed over where to build new homes and how water is managed.
Leeds suffered severe damage and dozens of businesses have yet to reopen after the flooding.
Mr Cameron promised only “a full analysis of how Leeds could be protected from devastating floods it the future.”
But a comprehensive programme of flood prevention in the Yorkshire city was abandoned by the coalition government soon after it came to power in 2010.
Leeds City Council leader Judith Blake said: “A month on from the floods people and businesses are still picking up the pieces and will be for some time so we will continue to push for that firm and early commitment that Leeds will get the full flood protection it needs and deserves on their behalf.”
GREENPEACE stuck the boot into ministerial incompetence yesterday, delivering the testimonies of those hit by the floods via hundreds of wellies outside Parliament.
Armed with a YouGov survey showing that 61 per cent of people think the government handled the flood response badly and 74 per cent want ministers to do more to prevent future flooding, the environmental charity called for a “comprehensive strategy to protect Britain from the impacts of climate change” in the corridors of power.
Personal Experiences
“My dear friends have had to abandon their home near Carlisle, a home to three generations, and will never be able to live there again. I hope the government will be helping them.” – Linda Chance, Carlisle
“I worry about the mammoth task that lies ahead in cleaning up and reinstating riverbanks and flood defence. The freak storms could become the norm and the damage they do lasts so much longer.” – Yvonne Rogers, Glenfarg
http://morningstaronline.co.uk/a-a906-Camerons-flood-fund-is-totally-inadequate#.VqshFOZrgdU
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