Freeze may kill 60,000

AS Britain’s winter of discontent threatened a fresh wave of blizzards and freezing temperatures last night, Gordon Brown stood accused of failing to protect the nation.

FREEZING As Britain struggles in Arctic conditions worse is on the way FREEZING: As Britain struggles in Arctic conditions, worse is on the way

With up to 60,000 deaths predicted because of the relentless cold and the country’s major roads facing a gritting crisis, Downing Street was heavily criticised for the widespread chaos.

Conservative leader David Cameron slammed the lack of leadership at Number 10 – as the Prime Minister all but ignored the national crisis in a battle for his own political survival.

Mr Cameron said: “At times like these the country needs strong and united leadership. “We can’t go on with a Government that is more focused on its internal problems than trying to help people through difficult times, including some of the worst weather conditions the UK has experienced for years.” The Prime Minister last night admitted that for many people this was a “very serious, worrying and frustrating time”.

But he tried to play down the crisis in a podcast from Downing Street.

The embattled Premier insisted gas supplies were not threatened and that everything was being done to keep the roads clear. But the winter of 2010 threatens to become one of the biggest civil crises in modern times.

Experts predict a massive spike in death rates – with up to 60,000 more people dying than average because of the wintry conditions. The British civilian death toll in the Second World War was 67,000.

The economy also faces losses of up to £15billion as millions of workers are forced to stay indoors because of the impact on the transport system.

The AA warned the country could expect “creeping paralysis” as grit stocks dwindle over the next two weeks. With no end to the snow and freezing temperatures in sight, the country is facing the prospect of its essential services being unable to function. Despite the efforts of tens of thousands of local authority workers, emergency services personnel and others, the superstructure necessary to cope with a prolonged deep freeze has been revealed to be inadequate.

Shadow Communities and Local Government Secretary Caroline Spelman called for an emergency statement in the Commons as Britain braced itself for a second week of Arctic weather.

She said: “I think the Government should voluntarily make a statement to the House on Monday. The statement will have to be made in the Commons. I think what is difficult for local government is that confusion reigns.”

The Conservatives last night accused Labour of sitting on a report for five months which outlined a new strategy for tackling extreme winter weather conditions.

Commissioned in the wake of the February 2009 cold snap, the report, by the UK Roads Liaison Group, was completed in July but not produced in the House until December 15 – two days before the big freeze struck.

Miss Spelman said that Transport Secretary Lord Adonis could lose his job. She said: “I think he is in danger. It is cheap currency to say a government minister should go, but he should get a grip on the situation and sort it out but he is a bit late into the game.”

Plunging Arctic temperatures and high energy bills have created the “perfect storm” to send winter mortality rates to appallingly high levels.

The persistent snow and frost make the elderly far more vulnerable to killer diseases such as pneumonia and bronchitis and also more susceptible to strokes and heart attacks.

Charities are calling for a major shake-up in the way the elderly are helped to survive. It is estimated as many as one in three pensioner households are spending more than 10 per cent of their income on energy bills – the official definition of fuel poverty.

As many comparisons are being made between the winter of 2010 and the Big Freeze of ’63, a look back at official Government statistics reveals that there were more than 89,000 excess deaths that year.

Andrew Harrop, head of public Policy at Age Concern and Help the Aged, said: “It is shocking that there are more older people dying in winter compared to the rest of the year in England than countries with more severe weather such as Sweden and Finland.

“We are concerned that prolonged cold weather and high energy bills could create the perfect storm for hard-up older people this winter, causing hardship, illness and isolation.”

A spokesman for the Local Government Association said: “For older people freezing temperatures pose a very real danger, and sadly there is a risk of people dying unnecessarily.

“It would be a tragedy if any person was to die this winter because they kept their heating down because they feared a bill they could not afford.”

Tory shadow health spokesman Mike Penning said: “I was in my local accident and emergency unit recently and there were elderly people suffering from falls and hypothermia who are frightened to turn up the heating because they don’t want to be in debt.”

This weather pattern is deeply entrenched, say experts, raising the prospect of a prolonged freeze to rival the notorious winters of 1963 and 1947.

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