Somerset's Conservative MPs have blocked an independent review into funding for flood prevention and the government’s response to recent storms.

Somerset was badly hit by Storm Ciara and Storm Dennis, with localised flooding and damage being caused to Watchet’s harbour wall.

Opposition MPs staged a debate in the House of Commons on Wednesday afternoon (March 4), calling for a full review of flood prevention funding in light of these storms and ongoing climate change.

But four of the county’s five MPs voted against the review – including David Warburton, who has been fighting for the long-term future of the Somerset Rivers Authority (SRA).

Luke Pollard (the Labour MP for Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport) called for an independent review into four key areas:

  • The recent floods, including the government’s response
  • The adequacy of the funding provided for flood defences and prevention
  • Difficulties facing homes and businesses with getting insurance (including the Flood Re scheme)
  • Lessons needing to learnt “in light of the climate emergency and the increased likelihood of flooding in the future”

Mr Pollard was heavily critical of “part-time prime minister” Boris Johnson MP, saying he had been “missing in action throughout the floods”, and arguing he had failed to “unlock the scale of funding necessary for flooded communities” and “failed to show national leadership when it was required”.

Bath MP and Liberal Democrat leadership candidate Wera Hobhouse spoke in favour of the review, stating that cuts made to the Environment Agency (EA) since 2010 needed to be reversed.

She said: “As the climate emergency produces more and more flooding, so flooding will become more frequent, and yet the resources for the EA have been severely cut over the last decade.

“We need long-term, not just short-term, funding for the EA.”

But calls for the review found little support on the government benches – including from MPs whose constituencies had recently been flooded.

Environment secretary George Eustace MP said there had been three reviews into flood prevention since 2007, describing the government’s response to recent events as “effective and rapid” and dismissing Labour’s motion as “an oversight”.

Tiverton and Honiton MP Neil Parish added: “There is no doubt that the dredging of the River Parrett, where it goes out to sea in Somerset, has been very effective.”

Taunton Deane MP Rebecca Pow – who holds a ministerial post within Defra – was the only Somerset MP to speak during the debate.

She said: “The storms flooded over 3,400 properties in February. Yes, that is terrible for the people who are flooded, but it is equivalent to less than 0.1 per cent of all properties at risk in England.

“That compares with the 17,000 properties flooded in 2015, so the situation is a great deal better.

“We are looking further at insurance cover through an independent review; we are already undertaking a review, so there is no need to have another review into this.

“I wish to reiterate that we are absolutely committed to £2.6bn of spending on flood defences and £1bn on maintenance, and we have a commitment to a further £4bn.”

Somerton and Frome MP David Warburton has been pushing for more than two years to secure the future of flood prevention in Somerset by allowing the SRA to directly collect its own precept (rather than relying on a shadow precept from existing councils.

Mr Warburton (who did not speak during the opposition debate) attempted to achieve this via a private members’ bill.

But his Rivers Authorities and Land Drainage Bill failed to make it through the House of Lords before the recent general election.

He is now working with Ms Pow and other ministers within Defra to ensure the current Environment Bill will achieve the same level of protection and provision for the SRA.

All bar one of Somerset’s Conservative MPs voted against the opposition motion calling for a review – including North East Somerset MP Jacob-Rees Mogg.

The only exception was Wells MP James Heappey, who did not take part in the debate.