Richard Tice blasted over 'insulting' heatwave comment as he says Brits should celebrate

Richard Tice blasted over 'insulting' heatwave comment as he says Brits should celebrate Nigel Farage's number two, Richard Tice, was blasted after claiming Brits should celebrate soaring temperatures as they make sparkling wine better - despite hundreds of people dying and homes being burned in wildfires Nigel Farage's number two has been blasted after dismissing the misery caused by the heatwave - which claimed hundreds of lives - and said Brits should enjoy sparkling wine instead. Richard Tice's remarks were branded an insult to those affected after he hit out at the "doom and gloom" around climate change and urged people to celebrate soaring temperatures instead. Huge wildfires have raged in recent days, with people forced from their homes in worst-affected areas including Stourbridge. And the Met Office estimates 2,700 people died from heat-related causes in the May and June heatwaves alone - with 42% of these fatalities a result of "human-induced warming". Reform UK deputy leader Mr Tice sparked anger after telling a press conference in Westminster: "Climate change has always happened, it always will. Maybe the smarter thing to do is to adapt to it, (rather) than think arrogantly you can stop it. "I'm old enough to remember 1976 - this feels a bit the same. That was 50 years ago. I think when it's a bit warm, let's enjoy it. And if it means that English wine and sparkling wine gets better and better, fantastic. "That means we can take on the French, fantastic. Let's celebrate some of these things rather than just be sort of doom and gloom about it." The comments provoked a furious response from environmental groups. Danny Gross, climate campaigner at Friends of the Earth, said: “If Richard Tice wants to live in a world of make believe, that’s his call. But telling people to enjoy the heat after the scenes we’ve seen in the last week… how out of touch do you need to be? “Homes burnt to a cinder and the military drafted in after wildfires raged uncontrollably. Farmers at their wits end because weeks without rain have made for yet another brutal harvest. "And the more than 1,000 lives needlessly lost during this summer’s heatwaves thanks to global heating. It’s an insult - particularly to their loved ones - to suggest the weather extremes we’re seeing are cause for celebration." He pointed to Friends of the Earth polling which found 87% of people think the UK is unprepared for extreme weather events like heat and drought. This includes 81% of Reform UK supporters. Mr Gross added: "Failing to acknowledge the real-world consequences of our changing climate may not be as easily forgiven as he thinks." Amy Cameron, a programme director for Greenpeace UK, said: “Tice’s words show that a party bankrolled by fossil fuel interests will keep denying the climate crisis for its funders’ benefit even when its impacts are undeniable. "Reform should try telling nurses fainting on shifts, farmers losing their crops and people running from burning homes to enjoy the hot weather and see what reaction they’ll get. "There's only one way to stop this extreme weather: cutting emissions from fossil fuels. Things will only get from bad to worse if we listen to the politicians being paid to deny it's even happening." And Alasdair Johnstone, from the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, said: “Far from being an enjoyable experience, for many this summer will have brought hardship, with 2,877 deaths during the May and June heatwaves, over 1,100 of which are directly attributable to the extra heat added by climate change. "Firefighters have been called to over 1,000 wildfires, which have devastated the landscape, displaced people, and destroyed home. The only way these climate change impacts can be prevented from becoming more common and severe is to tackle the cause, which means reaching net zero emissions by 2050.” Mr Tice is a long-term critic of the government's Net Zero drive, which aims to cut atmosphere-warming emissions to effectively zero by 2050. The heatwaves have taken a huge toll on the UK economy, analysis suggests. Thinktank Verdant estimated that so far the country has taken a £4.4billion hit this year alone due to the weather's impact on business output. On a visit to Stourbridge on Monday, Housing Secretary Angela Rayner voiced her horror at the devastation. She told The Mirror: "It was like going through a movie. I've never seen that level of devastation and the indiscriminate way in which you can see the fire had moved so swiftly."