UK PM Burnham announces more funding for drought-hit farmers

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said on Saturday he was authorising £65m (R1.42bn) of extra funding for farmers hit by a drought after the driest July on record in England and Wales.

“Today we’re putting £65m more into supporting farmers through this drought and preparing for the summers ahead. They’re on the frontline of a changing climate, and they shouldn’t be left to face it alone,” Burnham said on X.

“The ability to grow our own food is national security. I’ll treat it that way,” he said.

The extra government support would bolster an incentive scheme for sustainable farming, make it easier for farmers to build reservoirs and improve access to water during droughts.

Britain’s cereal harvest is on track to be the worst since comparable records began in 1984, according to an analysis published earlier this month.