While hotter days might be welcome for many, the impending heat wave could be a taste of things to come brought about by climate change.

Northumberland Labour says, far from providing practical information and schemes to keep our homes and workplaces cooler, the leadership contest and lack of commitment to reverse global warning is putting people at risk.

Leader Scott Dickinson said: “Apart from the Conservative Party leadership contest taking their eye of the ball, some of the leadership candidates have no idea and, in every likelihood, no inclination to tackle our warming planet.

“Labour has always said we need to insulate homes and make sure any new ones are built to withstand high temperatures. Insulation will also make homes warmer in the winter, cutting down the need for heating which is badly needed with the hike in energy costs.

“But it’s not just that. We need to see real action to improve public transport to make individual car use less attractive. No one’s going to be prised out of their care with the way public transport is organised in our country, let alone the cost of things like train fares, which are just ridiculous.

“There appears to be no plan or strategy. Labour would welcome cross party working so we can deal with the here and now of keeping people safe while looking in the longer term on how we’re going to make homes greener and reverse temperature increases.”