Cumbria was hit by terrible floods in December, the worst seen for decades. As usual there was lots of discussion as to what had caused them. Who was to blame.For some people it was just bad luck. Sometimes it rains a lot and too much rain in too short a time causes floods. For others it was Climate Change. A clear example of how the world is warming giving rise to mild winters with endless rain. Then there was the discussion of man's impact on the natural flow of water; one side of the argument was the denuding of the fells - trees cleared and hedges removed and too many sheep grazing. The other side focussed on rivers not being dredged. That pro-wildlife policies had stopped farmers clearing watercourses. Of course there was mention of the cut-backs in flood defences under the coalition and Conservative governments.
The arguments bounced back between the usual positions on the left and right; between the Climate Change believers and deniers. Those who want to re-wild the Cumbrian fells and others who prefer intensive agriculture and technical solutions.
In between all the this the rivers overflowed and people's houses flooded. Lives were wrecked. And same as ever, within six months the politicians will have forgotten all about it.