Angela Rayner joked that wine would be in her emergency kit (Image: Getty)
Andy Burnham insisted alcohol should not be the priority when preparing an emergency box of supplies in a swipe at Angela Rayner. The Government is urging Britons to keep essential items such as tinned food and bottled water in the event of a crisis as part of a new campaign.
The Housing Secretary previously joked that a bottle of sauvignon blanc and mascara would be in her kit. Asked if wine would also be part of his emergency box, the Prime Minister said: “I’m not sure that that’s the top of the list in terms of the advice that we’re giving to the public.
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“You need to have a clear head when it comes to a challenging situation. So yeah, some tins of food, some bottled water. But I’m sure people are allowed a glass or two as well to get them through a difficult situation.”
Under the “be ready” campaign, households are being urged to prepare for everyday services being temporarily disrupted by stocking three days’ worth of key supplies.
The checklist advises stocking up with three days’ worth of bottled water and non-perishable food, a battery-powered or wind-up FM radio to receive updates during outages, and cash in case electronic payments or cash machines are disrupted.
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting defended the campaign against accusations of “scaremongering” on Thursday’s Question Time after panic buying during the Covid pandemic.
Mr Streeting said: “We did have this debate though, just to reassure… because we want people to be alert but not alarmed, and the truth is we looked around the rest of Europe, ‘what are our friends doing across the continent?’.
“They are way ahead of us on some of this stuff.”
Tory shadow national security minister Alicia Kearns criticised the advice as “lecturing the public”.
She said: “Preparing for emergencies is important. But the Government should get its own house in order before lecturing the public. It isn’t families that are failing to fund our defence or secure reliable energy – it’s Labour.
“With rising threats to our national security, we must all be ready to face all eventualities. We each have a role to play, but the Government must lead by example
Andy Burnham Urges Britons to Stockpile as He Slaps Down Angela Rayner
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has urged households across Britain to prepare for emergencies by keeping essential supplies at home, while delivering a pointed response to Angela Rayner’s light-hearted suggestion that a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc should be included in her emergency kit.
The exchange came as the government promoted its new “Be Ready” campaign, encouraging families to keep enough food, water and other necessities to manage for three days if everyday services are disrupted.
Burnham said the public should focus on practical essentials, making clear that alcohol should not be the first priority when preparing for a difficult situation.
The comments have attracted attention because they combine a serious government warning with a humorous disagreement between two senior Labour figures.
However, behind the political exchange lies a broader concern about Britain’s ability to cope with extreme weather, cyberattacks and interruptions to essential services.
The government insists the campaign is about sensible preparation rather than panic buying. Yet ministers are also facing questions about whether the public has been given enough information about the risks the country could face and what authorities are doing to manage them.
Burnham delivers his response to Rayner
Rayner had previously joked that her emergency supplies would include mascara, concealer, a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc, baked beans and a tin of custard.
Her comments were made in a light-hearted discussion about emergency preparedness, rather than as a formal recommendation to the public.
Asked whether he would include wine in his own emergency supplies, Burnham responded that it was not the first item people should consider.
He explained that people needed to keep a clear head when dealing with a challenging situation and recommended practical supplies such as tinned food and bottled water.
However, Burnham also acknowledged that people could enjoy a drink once they had completed the necessary preparations.
His response was therefore a qualification of Rayner’s joke rather than a declaration that alcohol should never be kept at home.
The exchange nevertheless created a political talking point, with the Prime Minister appearing to draw a distinction between the government’s official advice and the more humorous way the issue had been discussed.
For the government, the priority is ensuring that households understand the purpose of the campaign and take reasonable steps to prepare.
Why Britons are being urged to stockpile
The government’s “Be Ready” campaign encourages households to maintain enough essential supplies to cope for approximately 72 hours if normal services are temporarily disrupted.
The advice comes amid concerns about increasingly severe weather, cyber threats and the vulnerability of supply chains.
Storms can bring down power lines, damage roads and interrupt transport. Flooding can isolate communities, while technical failures or cyberattacks may affect payment systems, communications and essential online services.
In these circumstances, people may find it difficult to buy groceries, access cash or contact family members.
The government’s position is that households can reduce the pressure on emergency services by preparing for short periods when assistance may not immediately be available.
The campaign does not suggest that a national emergency is inevitable or that families should rush to empty supermarket shelves.
Instead, officials recommend gradually building up a modest supply of essential items and checking it regularly.
Burnham has said that unexpected events appear to be becoming more common and that having basic supplies available can help people get through difficult periods.
The advice is intended to apply to ordinary emergencies as well as more serious disruptions.
The essential items households should have
The official checklist recommends keeping sufficient drinking water and non-perishable food at home.
For drinking water, the guidance suggests approximately three litres per person per day. That means a household of four would need around 36 litres for three days, with additional water potentially required for cooking and washing.
Food supplies could include tinned vegetables, meat and fish, dried fruit, nuts and other products that can be stored safely for long periods.
People should also consider whether they have a manual tin opener and foods that do not require complicated preparation.
The list goes beyond food and water. Households are encouraged to keep a torch, spare batteries, warm clothing, blankets and a battery-powered or wind-up FM radio.
A charged power bank may help keep mobile phones operating if electricity is unavailable.
The government also recommends having some cash available in case card-payment systems or cash machines are disrupted.
Basic first-aid supplies and essential medicines are particularly important for people who depend on regular treatment. Families with babies or pets should also make arrangements for their specific needs.
The advice is designed to help people prepare according to their circumstances rather than requiring everyone to buy exactly the same products.
Growing concerns about cyberattacks
The campaign has also been linked to warnings about the potential consequences of cyberattacks on businesses and essential infrastructure.
Modern Britain depends on interconnected digital systems. Supermarkets rely on payment technology, hospitals use digital networks, and businesses depend on online services to manage orders and deliveries.
A serious technical failure could affect several services simultaneously, creating difficulties for people who have little experience managing without them.
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting has warned that the country must be prepared for increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks and the possibility of disruption to essential supply chains caused by hostile states or terrorist groups.
These warnings have prompted questions about whether households and businesses are adequately prepared for incidents that could interrupt normal activities.
However, ministers have stressed that there is no need for the public to panic.
The purpose of emergency preparation is to make disruption more manageable, not to persuade people that an attack is about to happen.
Keeping a radio, some bottled water and a small supply of food at home may prove useful during a storm or power cut, regardless of whether a more serious security incident ever occurs.
The threat of severe weather
Extreme weather is another reason for the government’s renewed focus on household resilience.
Burnham has warned that Britain could face a winter with increased flooding risks, following storms that brought strong winds, heavy rain and power disruptions to parts of the country.
Severe weather can affect homes, roads, schools and public transport. In some cases, fallen trees or damaged infrastructure can prevent emergency workers from reaching affected areas quickly.
Flooding can also force people to leave their homes at short notice, making it important to have essential documents, medicines and contact details readily accessible.
The government’s guidance encourages households to consider the risks most relevant to where they live.
People in flood-prone areas, for example, may need to prepare for evacuation as well as temporary interruptions to electricity or transport.
Others may be more concerned about winter power cuts, particularly if they rely on electric heating or medical equipment.
A general emergency checklist provides a useful starting point, but individual preparations should reflect local conditions and household requirements.
Is the government causing unnecessary alarm?
The campaign has attracted criticism from politicians who argue that ministers should explain the risks more clearly before asking families to prepare.
Some opposition figures have questioned whether the government is doing enough to strengthen national defence, secure reliable energy supplies and protect essential infrastructure.
Their argument is that households should not be left feeling responsible for managing risks that ultimately require government planning and investment.
There is also concern that emergency warnings could be misunderstood and encourage panic buying.
The government has rejected the idea that its advice is intended to create fear. Ministers say preparing for temporary disruption is a sensible precaution and point out that several European countries have encouraged similar measures for years.
The distinction is important.
Household preparation cannot replace effective public services, robust infrastructure or national security measures. Equally, well-prepared households may be better able to cope while emergency responders concentrate on people who need immediate assistance.
The challenge is to communicate risks honestly without exaggerating them.
The government must also demonstrate that it is preparing essential services and businesses for disruption, rather than placing the entire responsibility on individuals.
What the exchange reveals about Labour
The exchange between Burnham and Rayner is unlikely, by itself, to determine the success of the campaign.
Rayner’s comments were made humorously, while Burnham’s response focused on the practical purpose of the government’s guidance.
Nevertheless, the episode illustrates the difficulties politicians face when communicating serious public advice.
A joke can make a complicated subject more accessible, but it can also distract from the practical message if people focus on the personalities involved rather than the advice itself.
For Burnham, the priority is to ensure that the campaign is understood as a call for proportionate preparation.
For Rayner, the exchange is a reminder that remarks made in a light-hearted setting can become a national political story when they concern an issue receiving significant public attention.
The government will want the discussion to return to the central question of how households can prepare without unnecessary expense or anxiety.
How families can prepare without panic buying
The government recommends starting by checking what is already available at home.
Many families will already have tinned food, bottled water, torches, batteries and basic medical supplies. Identifying what is missing can help people avoid spending money unnecessarily.
Households can then add a small number of useful items during their normal shopping trips.
It is also important to check supplies regularly, rotate food before it expires and make sure medicines remain suitable for use.
People should keep important telephone numbers written down in case their phones become unavailable, and they may wish to agree on a simple plan for contacting relatives during an emergency.
Neighbours can also help one another, particularly when older people or those with disabilities may need additional support.
The campaign’s message is that preparedness should be gradual and manageable. There is no requirement to purchase everything immediately, and unnecessary bulk buying could make essential products harder for others to obtain.
A serious message behind the political exchange
Burnham’s response to Rayner has provided an entertaining political moment, but the wider issue is more significant than a disagreement about wine.
Britain faces a range of potential disruptions, from storms and flooding to technical failures and cyberattacks. None is guaranteed to develop into a major emergency, but each demonstrates why basic preparation can be useful.
The government’s recommendation to keep three days of essential supplies is intended to help households manage while services are restored or support reaches those most in need.
For families, the most sensible approach is to prepare calmly, consider their individual circumstances and avoid unnecessary spending.
For ministers, the responsibility is to ensure that public advice is clear, proportionate and supported by effective planning across essential services.
Burnham has made his position clear: tinned food and bottled water should take priority when preparing an emergency kit. Rayner’s suggestion of Sauvignon Blanc may have generated headlines, but the government’s official message remains focused on practical necessities.
Ultimately, the success of the “Be Ready” campaign will depend not on the political exchange surrounding it, but on whether households understand the advice and can follow it without fear or financial strain.