Health warnings as region to sizzle in fierce heatwave

Midlands Message Read in browser Subscribe to Midlands Message Midlands Message is edited by Richard Guttridge Get in touch at richard.guttridge@reachplc.com Health alerts and travel warnings as region to sizzle in fierce heatwave Temperatures are expected to soar above 35C in the Midlands. People

Midlands Message   Read in browser

Subscribe to Midlands Message Midlands Message is edited by Richard Guttridge Get in touch at richard.guttridge@reachplc.com   Health alerts and travel warnings as region to sizzle in fierce heatwave Temperatures are expected to soar above 35C in the Midlands.

People across the Midlands are being urged to take precautions today and tomorrow as temperatures threaten to smash records during the sizzling heatwave. Health warnings are in place while transport disruption is expected as Britain battles to cope with unprecedented temperatures. While UK temperatures could soar above 40C, forecasts for parts of the Midlands estimate the mercury will reach 38C. The current record for the UK is 38.7C - giving an indication of how hot it will be. Experts are urging people to stay inside during the hottest parts of the day and for those who do choose to go out to take precautions, including drinking plenty of water and seeking shade. There are also warnings of potential delays and speed restrictions on the trains, with commuters being encouraged to check ahead to see if their journey is affected. Many schools have decided to close while thousands of office workers have been told to avoid travelling and work from home. 'Tropical nights' - where temperatures don't fall below 20C overnight - will also make sleeping tricky for many, potentially adding to tiredness and exhaustion as people attempt to cope in the searing heat. Meteorologists have warned these freak weather events are only going to become more likely over the coming years because of climate change. And it came as some of the Conservative leadership candidates gave less than enthusiastic comments about 2050 net zero targets during the ITV debate on Sunday night. Dr Agostinho Sousa, head of extreme events and health protection at UK Health Security Agency, said: "Heat health alerts have now been issued to the majority of the country, with temperatures set to remain consistently high through the start of next week. "It is important to keep yourself hydrated and to find shade where possible when UV rays are strongest, between 11am and 3pm. If you have vulnerable family, friends and neighbours, make sure they are aware of how they can keep themselves protected from the warm weather.'' Bin collections are also being affected by the heatwave, reports Gurdip Thandi.

Midlands families are poorer than two decades ago - study A new study has revealed how families in the West and East Midlands are poorer than they were two decades ago - even before Covid and the cost of living crisis. Average real terms income fell in the region between 2004 and 2019 as households suffered from years of poor growth and widespread inequality, a new report from the Resolution Foundation think tank and London School of Economics found. It showed our region was losing out compared to London, the South East and South West even before the current cost of living crisis was taken into account, and provided yet more evidence of a north/south divide, reports Agenda Editor Richard Guttridge. The report warned: "The large productivity divide between the Greater South East and the rest of the UK squeezes the brakes on economic progress nationally and accelerates regional income gaps."

What we're reading Incandescent West Midlands Mayor Andy Street has slammed rail union Aslef for announcing strikes during the first Saturday of the Birmingham Commonwealth Games - one of the busiest days of the competition. He did not hold back in his criticism, as Agenda Editor Richard Guttridge reports. In better Birmingham public transport news, Midland Metro trams have finally begun running on the new extension from Birmingham Library to Edgbaston, six months late. Graham Young, Naomi DeSouza and Tamlyn Jones report. A Birmingham councillor has revealed he was raped in the Gay Village as a teenager. Rhi Storer and Kate Knowles have this important story. Rhi also reports how a senior nursing lecturer intending to take a Birmingham hospital to an employment tribunal over disability discrimination has had her claim dismissed after a judge ruled the case had gone over the legal time limit. A ward manager at Coventry's University Hospital has opened up about impossible choices that staff, patients and families were forced to make as Covid gripped the country. Ellie Brown has the story. Gurdip Thandi reports how a former councillor has been branded a "trespasser" amid claims he had grabbed a chunk of a historic Streetly woods as his own land.

Coming up This week: The Conservative leadership race is reaching the business end this week with the remaining candidates to be whittled down to a final two following the television debates. One of them will be cut tonight, with the final two expected to be known by the end of this week. While things could still change, Tom Tugendhat and Kemi Badenoch are expected to be eliminated, leaving a final three of Rishi Sunak, Penny Mordaunt and Liz Truss in the battle for Number 10. Ms Mordaunt has been polling well among the Tory grassroots but it remains to be seen whether rival Ms Truss will hoover up support from MPs who had favoured other candidates before being knocked out to see her over the line.

Get in touch with us! Midlands Message is a newsletter covering politics and public affairs from across the Midlands. We aim to bring you news and expert analysis about the issues that matter to our region, and highlight the key stories from journalists across the Midlands. Send tips, comments or suggestions for how we can improve to Richard Guttridge.  You can also follow us on Twitter. And if you value what we do, please help us grow by passing on the message to others. They can sign up to Midlands Message here. See more stories

Follow Midlands Message

© 2021 a Reach plc subsidiary. All rights reserved You are receiving this email because you signed up to receive Midlands Message updates. Please do not reply to this email directly as it is not monitored. Unsubscribe    |    Terms of Use    |    Privacy Policy   |    Preference Centre Registered office One Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London E14 5AP Registered No. 2571173, England and Wales

{~RK6667037645540412zzzzz64267e323271c525e8bb8215726cf812efb77e634d960305df3c48dc81ef028bd4~}