Gordon Brown has visited one of the areas devastated by flood this morning. The Prime Minister saw the deluged county of Gloucestershire where thousands of people have been left without clean water, due to a flooded water treatment area.

Mr Brown then travelled to Gloucestershire police headquarters to see how the emergency response is being co-ordinated. He was briefed by the multi-agency team, Gold Command, made up of heads of police, fire, ambulance, local authorities and other groups co-ordinating the response to the floods.
He was then guided around the Silver Command centre to listen to emergency calls coming in from across the county.

Mr Brown gave his "support and sympathy to all those who have suffered as a result of the floods and the emergency that has happened" and thanked the emergency services, armed forces and local people for their hard work.

He reitterated his promise of a financial support package for the areas affected. Mr Brown said:
"The Government will provide additional sums of money under the Belwin formula. We will provide 100% for local authorities for the emergency work they are doing.
"We are going to be increasing the money that goes to flood and coastal defences so that we can be as well protected as possible in the future."

He also said that the Government would:

ENDS