UK weather: Schools closed and ‘danger to life’ warnings issued amid 70mph winds from Storm Babet
Some schools will close and people are being told to stay at home as Storm Babet bears down on parts of the UK.
The Met Office has issued a rare red warning for “exceptional and persistent” rain in eastern Scotland, as well as amber and yellow warnings for wind and rain in other areas.
The red alert covers parts of the east of Scotland between the Dundee and Aberdeen areas from 6pm on Thursday until midday on Friday, “with some locations likely to see 200-250mm” of rainfall.
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It marks the first time a red warning for rain has been issued in the UK since Storm Dennis in February 2020.
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Storm Babet will be ‘unprecedented’
Babet, a complex area of low pressure that developed to the west of the Iberian Peninsula, will last until Saturday and is expected to cause flooding, power cuts and travel disruption.
Yellow severe weather warnings, meaning there is the threat of strong winds, extremely wet conditions and potential flooding, have been issued across the week until Saturday for a vast swathe of the UK, covering already-saturated parts of Scotland and northern and eastern England, all the way down the coast to Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
The Irish forecasting agency Met Eireann has also issued yellow and amber weather warnings for parts of Northern Ireland for heavy rain today and into Thursday.
On Tuesday, the Met Office raised the level of its warning for eastern Scotland from yellow to a more severe rating of amber.
A yellow weather warning covers Northern Ireland today. Pic: Met Office
A red warning for rain is among the warnings in place on Thursday
The Met Office said people in Northern Ireland can expect spray and flooding which may lead to difficult driving conditions and some road closures for the duration of the yellow warning for rain. It comes into effect at 2pm today and expires at 10am on Thursday.
There is a “small chance” that homes and businesses could be flooded, causing damage to some buildings, and communities being cut off by flooded roads, forecasters warned.
Several warnings are in place for Friday
Much of Scotland and the east of England is under a yellow warning on Saturday. Pic: Met Office
As the rain moves northwards, it will stall across central and eastern parts of Scotland where the rain will become heavy and persistent from Thursday through to Saturday.
There is an amber severe weather warning for rain for this area, meaning exceptionally wet conditions are likely. Up to 150 to 200mm of rain could accumulate in some areas of higher ground.
‘Please stay at home’
Earlier on Wednesday, the Scottish Government held a meeting of its Resilience Room (SGoRR), in an effort to mitigate the affects of Storm Babet in the coming days.
In a statement, Deputy First Minister Shona Robinson said: “The strong message is that if you are in the parts of Angus and South Aberdeenshire affected – please stay at home and do not travel.
“Other parts of Scotland are also at risk of flooding as rivers respond and drainage systems become overwhelmed. The risk is exacerbated by the fact that many catchments are already saturated following last week’s heavy rainfall and flooding.
“No one should take the risks for granted and I would urge everyone in the country to prepare where necessary, heed the travel warnings issued by Police Scotland and take extreme care around fast-flowing water.”
In early October, up to 180mm (8in) of rain was forecast which led to landslides, train cancellations and sporting events being postponed due to floods.
In Angus, an area north of Dundee and up to the Cairngorms, schools will close at lunchtime on Thursday and into Friday, as the local council works to “preserve life”.
Residents in Aberfoyle, Perthshire, prepare for Babet
Residents in Aberfoyle, Perthshire, prepare for Babet
‘Danger to life’
Under the amber warning, the Met Office warns “extensive flooding to homes and businesses is possible, which could lead to collapsed or damaged buildings or structures” and “fast flowing or deep floodwater is likely, causing danger to life”.
“There is a chance that communities in flooded areas could be completely cut off, perhaps for several days,” it adds.
“Power and other essential services, such as gas, water or mobile phone service, may be lost.”
Scotland typically receives around 168mm of rainfall in October but the country will receive more than this amount in the span of a few days.
Parts of England can expect more than 100mm of rainfall during the week, with some isolated areas facing up to 150mm.
There are already mass train cancellations across Scotland, expected to last until Saturday, with services stopped from Aberdeen, Elgin, Edinburgh, Fife, Perth and beyond.
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Ireland warned of ‘dangerous’ weather
Rain warnings for every county in the Republic of Ireland were in place overnight, having come into effect at various stages on Tuesday.
A Status Orange rain warning, meaning there is the possibility of dangerous or disruptive weather, is in place along Ireland’s southern coast for counties Cork, Kerry and Waterford.
That warning is due to the risk of flooding, dangerous road conditions and possible wave overtopping at high tide amid heavy rain and strong gusts.
The advisory is due to expire at 1pm, with a Status Yellow rain warning, meaning there is the potential for localised dangerous weather, in place for the rest of the country until between 6pm to 8pm.
Met Office deputy chief meteorologist Tony Wardle said: “Storm Babet will bring disruption for parts of the UK in the coming days, with heavy rain and strong winds likely for many.
“Heavy and persistent rain will fall onto already saturated ground bringing a risk of flooding. It is important to stay up to date with warnings from your local flood warning agency as well as the local authorities.
“As well as heavy rain, Storm Babet will bring some very strong winds and large waves near some eastern coasts too. Gusts around 70mph are possible in eastern and northern Scotland from Thursday. Met Office warnings will continue to be reviewed as the forecast develops.”
A teenage girl who was killed after getting out of a police car on the M5 in Somerset has been named.
Tamzin Hall, 17 and from Wellington, was hit by a vehicle that was travelling southbound between junction 24 for Bridgwater and junction 25 for Taunton shortly after 11pm on Monday.
She had exited a police vehicle that had stopped on the northbound side of the motorway while transporting her.
A mandatory referral was made to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, which is now carrying out its own investigation into what happened.
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Avon and Somerset Police said: “Our thoughts and sympathies go out to Tamzin’s family for their devastating loss.
“A specially-trained family liaison officer remains in contact with them to keep them updated and to provide support.
“The family have asked for privacy at this difficult time.”
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The police watchdog, the IOPC, has been asked to investigate.
In a statement, director David Ford, said: “This was a truly tragic incident and my thoughts are with Tamzin’s family and friends and everyone affected by the events of that evening.
“We are contacting her family to express our sympathies, explain our role, and set out how our investigation will progress. We will keep them fully updated as our investigation continues.”
Paramedics attended the motorway within minutes of the girl being hit but she was pronounced dead at the scene.
The motorway was closed in both directions while investigations took place. It was fully reopened shortly after 11am on Tuesday, Nationals Highways said.
A survivors group advocating for women allegedly assaulted by Mohamed al Fayed has said it is “grateful another abuser has been unmasked”, after allegations his brother Salah also participated in the abuse.
Justice for Harrods Survivors says it has “credible evidence” suggesting the sexual abuse allegedly perpetrated at Harrods and the billionaire’s properties “was not limited to Mr al Fayed himself”.
The group’s statement comes after three women told BBC News they were sexually assaulted by al Fayed’s brother, Salah.
One woman said she was raped by Mohamed al Fayed while working at Harrods.
Helen, who has waived her right to anonymity, said she then took a job working for his brother as an escape. She alleges she was drugged and sexually assaulted while working at Salah’s home on Park Lane, London.
Two other women have told the BBC they were taken to Monaco and the South of France, where Salah sexually abused them.
Mohamed al Fayed. Pic: AP
The Justice for Harrod Survivors representatives said: “We are proud to support the survivors of Salah Fayed’s abuse and are committed to achieving justice for them, no matter what it takes.”
The group added it “looks forward to the others on whom we have credible evidence – whether abusers themselves or enablers facilitating that abuse – being exposed in due course”.
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Salah was one of the three Fayed brothers who co-owned Harrods.
The business, which was sold to Qatar Holdings when Mohamed al Fayed retired in 2010, has said it “supports the bravery of these women in coming forward”.
A statement issued by the famous store on Thursday evening continued: “We encourage these survivors to come forward and make their claims to the Harrods scheme, where they can apply for compensation, as well as support from a counselling perspective and through an independent survivor advocate.
“We also hope that they are looking at every appropriate avenue to them in their pursuit of justice, whether that be Harrods, the police or the Fayed family and estate.”
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Bianca Gascoigne speaks about Al Fayed abuse
The Justice for Harrods Survivors group previously said more than 400 people had contacted them regarding accusations about Mohamed al Fayed, who died last year.
One of those alleged to have been abused is Bianca Gascoigne, the daughter of former England player Paul.
Speaking to Sky News in October, Gascoigne said she was groomed and sexually assaulted by al Fayed when she worked at Harrods as a teenager.
UK
Wes Streeting ‘crossed the line’ by opposing assisted dying in public, says Labour peer Harriet Harman
Wes Streeting “crossed the line” by opposing assisted dying in public and the argument shouldn’t “come down to resources”, a Labour peer has said.
Speaking on Sky News’ Electoral Dysfunction podcast, Baroness Harriet Harman criticised the health secretary for revealing how he is going to vote on the matter when it comes before parliament later this month.
MPs are being given a free vote, meaning they can side with their conscience and not party lines, so the government is supposed to be staying neutral.
But Mr Streeting has made clear he will vote against legalising assisted dying, citing concerns end-of-life care is not good enough for people to make an informed choice, and that some could feel pressured into the decision to save the NHS money.
He has also ordered a review into the potential costs of changing the law, warning it could come at the expense of other NHS services if implemented.
Baroness Harman said Mr Streeting has “crossed the line in two ways”.
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“He should not have said how he was going to vote, because that breaches neutrality and sends a signal,” she said.
“And secondly… he’s said the problem is that it will cost money to bring in an assisted dying measure, and therefore he will have to cut other services.
“But paradoxically, he also said it would be a slippery slope because people will be forced to bring about their own death in order to save the NHS money. Well, it can’t be doing both things.
“It can’t be both costing the NHS money and saving the NHS money.”
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Review into assisted dying costs
Baroness Harman said the argument “should not come down to resources” as it is a “huge moral issue” affecting “only a tiny number of people”.
She added that people should not mistake Mr Streeting for being “a kind of proxy for Keir Starmer”.
“The government is genuinely neutral and all of those backbenchers, they can vote whichever way they want,” she added.
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Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has previously expressed support for assisted dying, but it is not clear how he intends to vote on the issue or if he will make his decision public ahead of time.
The cabinet has varying views on the topic, with the likes of Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood siding with Mr Streeting in her opposition but Energy Secretary Ed Miliband being for it.
Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary Ed Miliband is said to support the bill. Pic: Reuters
Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood has concerns. Pic: Reuters
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The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill is being championed by Labour backbencher Kim Leadbeater, who wants to give people with six months left to live the choice to end their lives.
Under her proposals, two independent doctors must confirm a patient is eligible for assisted dying and a High Court judge must give their approval.
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Labour MP Kim Leadbeater discusses End of Life Bill
The bill will also include punishments of up to 14 years in prison for those who break the law, including coercing someone into ending their own life.
MPs will debate and vote on the legislation on 29 November, in what will be the first Commons vote on assisted dying since 2015, when the proposal was defeated.
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