Brits Unimpressed By PM’s Response To UK Wildfires And Droughts

Brits are unimpressed with Andy Burnham’s sluggish response to the drought and wildfires which hit the UK over the summer.

The heatwaves seen this year have broken British records as more than 38 days across 2026 have seen temperatures exceed 30C.

Not only has this heat proven to be deadly for more than 2,700 vulnerable people in the UK, but firefights, farmers and NHS staff are all struggling with challenges linked to the weather.

Drought has been declared across two-thirds of England and all of Wales.

Almost half (45%) of the 2,000 people surveyed by Public First said they believe the prime minister had been too slow in responding to his first major domestic crisis since getting into office in July.

However, it was not all bad news for the PM, as 36% did think Burnham had acted quickly enough.

A further 19% said he had “acted quickly and effectively” – the same proportion who thought the PM had been “too slow” and had not “done enough” to respond to the severe weather conditions.

Around half (52%) of the public want the government to invest more in new reservoirs and other water infrastructure to boost the UK’s security against future extreme weather events.

The prime minister called an emergency Cobra committee meeting last week, during the UK’s fifth heatwave of the summer, following criticism for waiting until almost a month into his premiership.

Burnham later announced a temporary ban on disposable barbecues and announced a £65 million support package for farmers managing drought.

The Green Party leader Zack Polanski called it a “climate emergency” and urged Burnham to commit to “concrete action”.

Despite this criticism, Burnham’s net approval rating has remained steady over the last month, dropping slightly from +19 at the end of July to +17, according to the poll’s findings.

In comments first reported by Politico, the head of polling at Public First Seb Wride said: “Burnham’s government is now in session and the public is steadily learning to attribute failures and successes to him.

“We see stability in his approval ratings so far, implying that there has not been a defining success or failure of his government in the first month.

“But the results on the heat wave are a clear reminder of how quickly new governments can lose support. Burnham looks likely to pass this test, but the British public only gives so many chances.”

The UK Met Office expects this summer to be Britain’s hottest on record.

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