With no end in sight to the flooding misery, government ministers, opposition leaders and even royalty have descended on Somerset and the Thames Valley to show that they really care.
Some politicians have been heckled by locals who accused them of merely staging photo-opportunities.
Environment secretary Owen Paterson was heckled when he visited Moorland on the Somerset LevelsGettyPrince Charles went to see if he could calm the waters, visiting the flooded Somerset Levels by boat...Reuters...and whatever this thing was. The Prince of Wellies said: 'There's nothing like a jolly good disaster to get people to start doing something.'ReutersThe prime minister first waded into the crisis on 7 February, promising 'everything that can be done will be done'GettyUkip leader Nigel Farage stuck his oar in on 9 February, criticising the government's response as too little, too lateGettyDavid Cameron was back in the West Country on 10 February to demonstrate he was firmly in charge of getting the trains back in service...Getty...shoring up the shingle on the beaches...Getty...and just generally pointing at thingsGettyNigel Farage was back in Somerset on the 11th, donning his waders and 10-gallon hatGettyDefence secretary Philip Hammond got into deep water in Wraysbury, Berkshire, when he was confronted by a volunteer who claimed that the government had abandoned flood victimsReutersLabour decided they'd better be seen to be doing something, so Ed Miliband dipped his toe into the waters at Wraysbury. He was heckled for his troubles and accused of merely seeking a photo opportunityGetty
