• Five day weather forecast

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I remember going up to Scotland one Easter in 1966 and it was so hot that the tarmac was melting on the road. We get weather, everyone gets weather, why do we always have to have a debate about it. It changes through the centuries and always has done and always will. If its too hot we moan, if its raining we moan, if its cold we moan. Why does everything in this country have to be displayed as a death knell as the end of life as we know it. Yet, every year thousands of people go to sunny climbs and roast their bodies all day long under the baking sun in order to get a tan. Why do we always make a crisis out of everything in this country whether it be wacko Jacko, swine flu or the weather!

- Sue, Orpington, Kent, 30/06/2009 09:11
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We did have heatwave 'mullarky' under Thatcher,, I remember it was July 1972 when we had a heat wave the papers were full of the temperatures,,Britain was going 'metric and the record breaking temps were at 82*F which translates to 28*C.
All open air Lidos were full and I took my two young children to Marble Arch and we sat on the grass and played in the fountains,, The police milling around did nothing to stop us,, a great day ,,, Stan Shaw

- Stan Shaw, DeLand Florida USA, 30/06/2009 03:19
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I can see another Health & Safety document to be introduced, do not use steps unless you have a sun screen.

- Tony Goodwin, Basidon,Essex, 30/06/2009 00:18
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"A Department of Health spokesman said: “Keeping the home as cool as possible during hot weather and remembering the needs of friends, relatives and neighbours who could be at risk is essential".

God bless the Department of Health. Without this amazing advice thousands of Londoners would have closed their windows, turned the central heating up and lit a fire in the fireplace.

- Harry Va Derci, London, 29/06/2009 21:32
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I've read a lot of the comments so far and now I think I understand. Climate change isn't happening. Phew, that's a relief. Nah, it's all a scam. There's a global conspiracy of scientists (that would be all of them then?), all dirty rotten liars, fibbing about volatile temperature fluctuations, rising sea levels, melting ice caps, holes in the ozone layer? Yes that must be it! And Al Gore is in on it too! And DEFRA, And Milliband. And the Green Party, those crazy loons! Yes it all makes sense now.

- Alex Payne, Epsom, Surrey, 29/06/2009 17:55
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Antony Coleman, London - Utter Rubbish.
Don't beleive everything you are told by the "climies", other single issue pressure groups or governments in urgent need of funding.

- Dave Davies, Basingstoke, Hants, 29/06/2009 16:49
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I blame the Labour government for this heat (and the snow in February). We didn't have any of this heatwave malarky under Mrs.Thatcher nor any snow,floods or global warming. I detect a Labour conspiracy to raise taxation.

- Paul, Kent, 29/06/2009 15:04
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amazingly, our 'green taxes' and 'climate change levy' including the fuel duty escalator, which bring the chancellor £Billions every year, are in turn given away in overseas aid by the DFID, to countries who then spend this money on building Fossil Fuel powered Power Stations - which pollute the air!!! Totally ludicrous!

- Gary, amersham, 29/06/2009 14:37
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Indication as to how hot it is today, the “hobo” that lives outside the Wetherspoons in Staines, has removed some of his coats. Mmmmmmgamey.

- David Cleaver, Hampstead, 29/06/2009 14:07
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Liz - more air-con = electriciy = more pollution = more global warming = more heatwaves = more air-con

- Antony Coleman, London, 29/06/2009 13:41
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The most unpleasant aspect of heat in the UK is the absurd lack of proper air conditioning. This makes it impossible to shop or enjoy a play or concert. Americans find it incredible that we cannot rescape from the heat by walking into an ice-cold mall. It's about time firms realized that we'd spend more if we could actually endure the buildings!

- Liz, London,UK, 29/06/2009 13:05
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Temperatures are heading for 30 degrees C this week and you're talking of crises and record temperatures? Utter nonsense. The press and the government seem to be trying to outdo each other in panicking over what, in truth, is a perfectly normal week of high summer. Three years ago we had temperatures approaching 40C - now, THAT was a record and it WAS cause for concern. Until those conditions are repeated bother us not with your scare stories.

- John, Biggleswade, 29/06/2009 12:41
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My motorbike was parked on the street. It was standing on its side stand. I had to pull the bike away from the stand side as the end of the stand had sunk about three centimetres into the tarmac even though the tarmac isn't new!

- Ross, London, UK, 29/06/2009 12:30
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What's going on? The URL to this webpage is http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23712385-details/Miliband+says+we+are+in+denial+on+climate+change/article.do. Shouldn't this page contain Miliband's claims?

I get the impression that Miliband is saying that the cities will be hotter than the countryside. How odd when we've been told for years that there's no such thing as an Urban Heat Island Effect.

- John, Melbourne, Australia, 29/06/2009 12:27
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Climate Change - BAH HUMBUG.

- Mr S.Port, London, 29/06/2009 11:27
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That photograph is actually the wrath of God smiting those thieving hypocrites sadly even His omnipotence wasn't enough to catch one of the oily blighters actually on the job.

- Squiz, Islington, 29/06/2009 10:32
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I remember the Summer of '76 - It was so hot that the roads melted. We called it what is was - a hot Summer - not Climate Change.
It seems every single type of weather is now attributed to Climate Change, which just doesn't stand up to scrutiny.

- Dave Davies, Basingstoke, Hants, 29/06/2009 10:20
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Yes, yes and yes. I wholeheartedly agree with Eleanor Howell. Think of life in the times of Henry 11 when the summer temperature rivalled those of North Africa. Think then of 1666 and the diary of Samuel Pepys when he drew attention to the freezing of the Thames. It is realy a question of cylclic behaviour.
Robert Palmer

- Robert Palmer, London, 29/06/2009 10:17
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Spot on Ms Howell: we are being duped by the genocidal maniacs that operate the government. You have to be pretty good at doublethink to imagine that falling global temperatures amount to global warming. Temps peaked in 1998 and have been falling steadily ever since, but politicians never let truth stand in the way of a good fear-mongering narrative.

- Neil, London, London UK, 29/06/2009 10:08
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we ignore global warming at our peril our winters in uk are incredibly mild now compared to 20 years ago

- C May, bromley, 29/06/2009 09:59
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You cant predict the weather 2 weeks ahead impossible.
Take each day as it comes,It could be your last.

- Martin, sheffield, 29/06/2009 09:58
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Climate change is good - if you live in the UK and have suffered the dreary weather that Britons have seen under "normal" climate. In the US, it's Obama for change, in the UK it should be Climate for change

- Ed, London, 29/06/2009 06:35
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That's a heatwave in the UK ?

Here in Australia, we had a week last summer where everyday was above 42 degrees (107 farenheit), which peaked at 46 degrees (115 degrees farenheit)

32 degrees is a nice day for the beach...

- Ben Cummings, Melbourne, Australia, 29/06/2009 06:00
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There is no such thing as man-made global warming. It is a hoax designed to tax more of your income, force you to rely more on government, and reduce your freedom and liberty. Overall temps have been trending down since 1998. Read the data, Mr. Miliband.

- Eleanor Howell, South London UK, 29/06/2009 02:19
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This year ends with "9" and every year which ended with a 9 in the 20th Century was a good summer. So a pattern is repeating itself. Some of you may remember 1959!

However, climate change is more complex and yes 1976 (and 1975) - (see repeats of The Sweeney!) were long hot summers but they were just like the big freeze of 1962/63 an isolated incident which has always happened.

The point of climate change is the repeating of high tempertures year on year and the fact that most of out warmest summers have occured in the last 10 years.

Just remember 2003 when London exceeded 100f (38c)for the first time since this figure had been breeched in Kent in the 18th century. Now if we break 100f again this century then it will show that heat is building.

As for reducing climate change well Boris replacing 47 Artics with 72 normal (not hybrid) double deckers is not showing the right way to go.

- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex, 28/06/2009 16:32
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I can remember days as hot as this at least 15 years ago, and there was no fuss then. I think the media are short of news again.......

- Edwina, Teddington, UK, 28/06/2009 16:18
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Climate change .. what a hoot ...
It was once called "SUMMER" .....

- Don, Arizona, U.S., 28/06/2009 15:10
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32 degrees? It's hotter than that here in the shade. I don't see many holiday makers keeling over. Silly article, silly minister.

- Lawrence, Costa Del Sol, 28/06/2009 10:46
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Personally, after looking at what China and India are up to (a new power station coming on stream every two weeks), I couldn't give a hoot about climate change.

I think it's hilarious how the above nations have the brass-neck to blame US for what happened in the eighteenth century during our Industrial Revolution - hey people, THAT was PROGRESS without scientific knowledge of the consequences, whereas today's major poluters know the score and should act accordingly.

Climate change? Bring it on - have a cold beer, spot those fantastic bikinis and enjoy getting a tan!

- Ted, London, 27/06/2009 11:35
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The climate will change .... its SUMMER,
will someone tell Milly.... Please?.

- John L., Scarborough. N. Yorkshire. U.K., 27/06/2009 10:52
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C-Trading is a con. A means by which polluters can buy their way out of carrying out their obligations.

- Dhan Raj, Basildon, 27/06/2009 07:09
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Global average temperature is falling. Please can you print some facts, not propaganda from the neo-socialist cyber-men?

- Adam, London, 27/06/2009 07:01
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The only thing green this government cares about are the green bills in your wallet, and relocating those bills to the Labour slush fund.

- John North, London, UK, 27/06/2009 00:40
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Wasnt all that snow in Feb something to do with climate change as well?

- Brian, Wiltshire, 27/06/2009 00:00
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I knew this would happen..a couple of hot days and the same old nonsense about how we're all doomed unless we change our ways to change the climate. Utter trash. The climate may well be changing at a faster rate than recent centuries but our tinkerings with carbon emissions will have absolutely no effect or relatively little effect. Especially when Governments say one thing and then do the opposite.

- Corbo, Norwich England, 26/06/2009 23:15
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Hello London,
This is a message to Miliband,
Spring, then Summer then Autumn, and Winter, our "CLIMATE CHANGE" no money involved no expenses to be claimed.
Heatwaves are to be enjoyed by the British, I can remember the long hot summer of 1976 it was great ..... but that was 33 years ago?.
Your just trying to deflect the heat coming out of Parliament and trying to change the mood ..... sorry won't work?.
Just incase any M.Ps., are going to build swimming pools in there back gardens your to late to claim on expenses buy it youself,... cheers.
Here come the sun ..... bring it on?.

- John L., Scarborough North Yorkshire, U.K., 26/06/2009 22:49
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Every time the sun comes out these days it's because of global warming. I can remember some very hot summers indeed back in the sixties. If parts of Sheffield happen to flood then that's global warming too. Snow in the middle of winter has also been put down to global warming. What does the weather have to do for it not to have been caused by global warming is what I want to know? - The Emperor is completely naked you know!

- Derrick, A Once Great Land, 26/06/2009 22:27
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In order to solve a problem it is first necessary to identify it. Man-made climate change is not the problem it is a symptom of a much bigger problem, which is too many people.

The carbon footprint of the world is the average carbon footprint per person times the number of people. Simple Maths, reduce the number of people to solve the problem.

The world's population has almost quadrupled in the last 100 years. This has put stains on our ability to provide drinking water and food for the population, which may well lead to wars in the near future.

We are indanger of using fossil fuels which have taken millions of years to develop in a couple of hundred years or so.

The solution in this country is to use the tax and benefit system to encourage people to have less children.

Instead of trying to feed the starving people in poorer parts of the world we should be trying to encourage them to have smaller families. How many times are we asked to give to charity to help feed the starving in Africa, and we are always shown pictures of malnourished children. Why do they have children if the can't feed them? Because they know we will bail them out or they know no better.

Unfortunately politicians measure their egos against the size of the number of people they rule over. They also tend to have large families (more than 2 children). They are leading by example in the wrong direction. The church is no better as it still encourages us to go forth and multiply.

- Frank, Waterlooville, 26/06/2009 22:25
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Ed Miliband's opinion seemed reasonable to me. The comments made here almost overwhelmingly proved his point. Climate change is real and all of us had better do what we can about it. By being more efficient we might even save money and have a better life. There are so many of us on the planet now every one of us has a moral duty to be a bit more careful about the impact we are having. It would be terrible if we make the world unihabitable for future generations of human beings and take most of the plants and animals down with us.

- Sue Riddlestone, London, 26/06/2009 22:20
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Its the WEATHER changing not the CLIMTATE !!

World temperatures are Down not Up over the last 10 years. And thats in spite of CO2 levels going up.

If the Earths climate were disastrously susceptible and sensitive to changes in CO2 then life as we know it would never have evolved here in the first place.

But it is not - we have had far higher levels of CO2 in the past than now. Milliband talks gibberish. If he were to talk clearly he would be saying - "I promise to impoverish you all".

- Trevorsden, Wallingford; UK, 26/06/2009 22:04
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I'm not sceptical about cliamte change. I just don't see how paying the government more tax will resolve it. The climate changes every day - always has and always will. Nothing can alter that, especially not having a government department devoted to the subject, or taking money out of my pocket to tackle it.

Spend the money on something useful instead, like new schools, hospitals, roads and railways.

- Nobby Clark, Perth, the Scottish one, 26/06/2009 11:49
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No one is more in denial about climate break-up than the government, which is backing airport expansion at Heathrow and Stansted, supporting oil-fired power stations, wasting hundreds of millions on new roads, and which has seen a massive increase in car ownership since 1997, with the collapse of cycling everywhere except London. Like Tony Blair, Miliband talks about climate change but supports policies which accelerate it.

- Jo, London, 26/06/2009 11:48
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Once you could walk to Holland across the Dogger Hills (crossing the Thames, which went north then). No particular reason why sea levels should stop changing, just because Mr Millichump is fresh out of school. Hope his eco-propaganda pamphlets give the longer perspective too.

- Steve, London, England, 26/06/2009 11:37
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Total rubbish. Would you trust this man on ANYTHING?Labour love to keep control by keeping us in fear.

- Philip, Moscow, Russia, 26/06/2009 11:35
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Well I certainly am in denial.I really couldn't care less about the planet.If some of you stopped banging out kids then you might be in a position to actually care instead of buying silly light bulbs.

- Steve, London, 26/06/2009 11:28
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More sensationalist nonsense from the 'global warming' industry and NuLab apparatchik. Elasticband is just spouting the Brown line on 'climate change' in order to scare us into...you got it, more 'green' taxes. That's Brown's answer to everything, tax it!
You can't believe a word any of these discredited politicians say especially Labour politicians whose agenda is nothing to do with actual environmental issues and all to with revenue streams and tax raising opportunities using the 'green' label to disguise the fact that they are just stealth taxes, Gordy's favorites! Cameron unfortunately is also in on the scam so we can expect no change from his lot when they get in next year! SLASH FUEL DUTY NOW!

- Ed, Hants, 26/06/2009 11:24
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A giant confidence trick and nothing more - designed by the liberal elite to part the working man of his hard earned money. No doubt Milliband is softening us up for another Nu Labour punishment tax under the guise of saving the planet. Shame the Chinese and the Indians aren't so zealous as our homegrown green fascists when it comes to curbing their 'carbon footprint'.

- M, London, 26/06/2009 10:58
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Miliband and his gaggle of parasites in the House of Conmen are all in denial.

As the Duke of Bedford's motto says: "What will be, will be".

- Reuben Camara, Republic of Morecambe, UK, 26/06/2009 10:05
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Climate change may or not be happening but the whole climate change industry is a scam. If it wasn't for climate change George Monbiot would still be a geography teacher!

- Chris, Brighton, England., 26/06/2009 09:51
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Here we go again, more scare mongering by our corrupt MPs, climate change has happened many times over many thousands of years, but this time its our fault just like the hole in the ozone layer, if there was no profit in climate change (taxes) we would be hearing nothing about this.
This planet will still be here and functioning when this current crop of shameless leaders are long gone, so lets cut the crap and hope something else comes along to occupy their greedy minds.

- Brian, Blackpool England, 26/06/2009 09:45
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Note to Mr Miliband

Of course Britons know that climate change is happening: it always has. What we dispute is that there is a significant anthropogenic element contributing to that change. At best the evidence is flimsy: at worst, it is entirely fraudulent. Given our politicians' behaviour over the past few years, you'll forgive us if we believe that your communications with we little people are less than honest.

I might be prepared to give you the benefit of the doubt if your show of concern for us all drowning in some far distant deluge were matched by a commitment to stopping coastal erosion but your department announced that nature would have to take its course didn't it? And why are you still permitting building on flood plains?

As for the Met Office predictions to which you allude, only last year, they told us that they didn't have the necessary supercomputers to accurately forecast future climate. What has happened in the interim? Is it perhaps that you appointed a new Chief Scientist to the Met Office who has made a career from climate alarmism?

There are far more scientists in the world than the 20 or so sitting on the IPCC and many of them have produced observed evidence that shows the alarmist models have failed already. And yet the media and you politicians (with a handful of honourable exceptions) show no inclination to consider any view that doesn't conform to the alarmist position.

Why is that?

- John Levett, Eastbourne UK, 26/06/2009 09:34
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Wrong again Ed.
People can see the effects of "climate change" they just don't think that taxing the hell out of everything will resolve it.

- Steve, london, 26/06/2009 09:32
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I believe in climate change. I also believe that the United Kingdom cannot change what is happening. The politicians see climate change as an excuse to increase taxes and control and thus increase their power at the expense of ours. So although climate change is real - the political response is a trick.

- Richard Holland, Lichfield, Staffordshire, 26/06/2009 09:11
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We trust our politicians and we treat everything they say with the utmost seriousness..

- Dave Faulks, Loughborough, 26/06/2009 09:03
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And why shouldn't we be at least sceptical? Experts and government say temperatures will rise, sea levels will rise, storms will become more frequent, increasing flooding, whether coastal or inland, and yet this government is proposing to build Nuclear power stations on the coast. You can't demolish one of those overnight, they are still trying to take the original chineys down fron Sellafield nearly sixty years after their leak. So who is kidding who? Anything that we do on this tiny little island pales into insignificance if no one else bothers. Don't tell us, tell them.

- Alan, carlisle uk, 26/06/2009 09:02
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Most people realize that the climate is changing. This a a pattern for millions of years. What many don't accept is that man can change this. In the USA, you can find sea shells , 100 miles from the coast if you dig down as little as 12 ft. No industry then and very few people. Wake up people. Al Gore is making millions on this scam and he has many followers !

- Ruck, Myrtle Beach USA, 26/06/2009 08:54
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