What do our Dutch friends do? They seem to manage. Granted the PM can't do much about it today, but he could seriously look at the raising the level of intelligent spending on flood defence (been cut year on year by 27% in recent times apparently* source todays Guardian newspaper) and more.
About Yorkshire, in 1988 I easily remember going into Richmond and talking to two old boys about the River Swale (I was getting an angling permit) and they were convinced the whole river system generally flooded up more slowly, when they were young lads. The land absorbed more water and let it go more slowly, they said. Would this be true? Perhaps a reversion of land to other use. Bring back bogs, marsh and natural wetland? Possibly more natural woodland, upland woodland as well?
Massive vested interests (Grouse shooting, for a start) would be against that of course. The pressure on land for commercial worth is immense.
But these events are catching us out more and more frequently.
For my two cents worth further, I don't actually think the average Conservative Govt. minister gives a tuppence halfpenny about what goes on in the red areas, as it were-because politically it doesn't affect them. Politics is a nasty business and as long as the blue areas keep voting them back in, that will do for them.
But I have to say that from afar, reading the online newspapers and watching world news, that on this important issue large parts of Britain at the moment look an utter shambles. Cameron and his ilk should be minded to get a grip, and show some leadership - very quickly.