UK urged to prepare for emergencies with tinned food and water

Defence Secretary Wes Streeting has unveiled a new national campaign urging UK households to prepare for emergencies, including power cuts, cyberattacks, and extreme weather ^[1]. The 'Be Ready' initiative recommends storing three litres of bottled water per person per day for three days, along with non-perishable tinned foods, first aid kits, battery-powered torches, and portable phone chargers ^[2].

The advice was delivered during a heated segment on BBC Question Time in Scunthorpe, where Streeting faced immediate scepticism from the audience. When asked if the campaign amounted to 'scaremongering', he insisted the government had no specific threat in mind but wanted to boost national resilience ^[2]. He cited recent wildfires, winter flooding risks, and the possibility of frozen water pipes as reasons for preparation.

Audience members questioned whether such advice could trigger panic buying, echoing concerns from the pandemic era. One attendee noted the memory of mass loo roll purchases, prompting laughter. Conservative shadow foreign secretary Tom Tugendhat defended the campaign, saying most Brits already practice basic preparedness and that the ask was modest ^[2].

Streeting stressed the need to be 'alert but not alarmed', adding that the UK lags behind many European nations in emergency readiness. He said the government reviewed what other countries were doing before launching the campaign, highlighting a sense of urgency in catching up ^[3].

The campaign comes amid rising geopolitical tensions, with the first question on Question Time being whether the world is already in a 'proxy world war' ^[2]. The debate continues as BBC Question Time returns next week in Warwick. The story was first reported by Sky News and Mirror.