Boris Johnson declined to apologise over his government’s slow response to the flooding across parts of the north of England, insisting that a huge amount of work was going on to help and compensate victims.

The prime minister faced difficult questions over whether enough had been spent on flood defences in deluged regions of Yorkshire, the east Midlands and Lincolnshire, after giving a speech on how he would give billions of pounds to research and development.

Asked to apologise, and challenged over why voters in the areas underwater should support him, Johnson insisted the government stood “ready to support in any way” it could the 850 residents whose homes were flooded.

He said the government had already put £2.6bn into flood defences and would look at longer term solutions, such as planting more trees, to manage the environment better. Earlier, he was accused by some flood victims of doing nothing to help them as he visited one of the worst affected areas.

The prime minister appeared in Stainforth, South Yorkshire, as 100 soldiers were deployed to help shore up the region’s battered flood defences. Read more

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