Flood defences row: UK paying price for David Cameron's broken promises

Prime minister said in 2014 lessons would be learned, but latest floods show he has continued to ignore red flag after red flag

"There are always lessons to be learned and I will make sure they are learned," said David Cameron after severe flooding affected thousands of people across the country. But that was in February 2014, when the prime minister was visiting the submerged Somerset Levels. No systematic review of flood protection ever happened.

On Sunday, as terrible floods hit Yorkshire and Lancashire, Cameron said: "Whenever these things happen, you should look at what you spend, what you've built " clearly we should look again at whether there's more we can do."