Heathrow’s fire shows that Britain suffers from a problem of elasticity

Digest opened free editor

Rola Khaleda, FT editor, chooses her favorite stories in this weekly newsletter.

The writer is the head of the risk management policy at the long -term flexibility center

Investigators will undoubtedly need some time to understand the cause of the fire that closed the Heathrow Airport on Friday, which disrupts more than a thousand flights and affects about 200,000 passengers. But it does not take long to see how weak the United Kingdom is. In this case, an electrical sub -submitted in a nearby suburb provided one point of failure for the most crowded European airports.

Hub airports have energy requirements for small cities, while, on the right, give priority to safety. Heathrow claims that there can be no backup of the power generation required to operate its operations safely. This is not good enough. It needs to be proven that the alternative width is available from the network and can be switched smoothly if necessary. On a wider scale, organizers of all service providers for critical infrastructure must require weaknesses and tension testing regularly their ability to recover quickly.

As global expectations continue, politicians wake up because the UK lacks flexibility – not only in the country’s infrastructure, but on a broader scale through the economy and society. From the underlined cables to energy networks, the UK is exposed.

The epidemic should have focused on minds, but it seemed that a few lessons were learned. A a report Last week of the long-term flexibility center reveals that the UK is worse to respond to biological threats by Covid-19. Today, the government has a very low degree of vision across the parties to the main information about where we notice pharmaceutical components. Taking coordinated action makes it very difficult.

However, with the correct vision and direction, we can build flexibility. In the thirties of the twentieth century, the government saw a wide reorganization of the state, as shown in Whitol, Peter Hennessy Civil Service History. We need the same ambition at the present time – restoring smart weapons at the upper part of the government, a fundamental change of the mentality in the civil service and the response that includes all society.

Flexibility should be a higher national priority, accompanied by sound management. The National Security Adviser, who has been renamed the National Adviser for Flexibility and Security, must take over, to submit reports to the Prime Minister. We must learn from work and present a specialist in flexibility to oversee the process of enhanced risk management throughout Whitehall. In addition, as recommended by the investigation of Covid, an independent independent legal body should be created to audit the government’s work on flexibility and collective challenge.

Pat McFaden, who leads the Cabinet Office, must lead the entrepreneurial approach to risk throughout Whiteon, ensuring that civilians learn to embrace, understand and manage risks. Several reviews have also agreed to the civil service to formulate talents in the private sector, rewarding innovation and light movement, and motivating officials to work through departments. The government promised the reform. Really you should deliver now.

But the government does not have all the answers. Society also has a role to play. After Sweden, which has provided a new, mandatory civil duty, the UK can create civil reserve cadres across the country, focusing on the response to emergency and cyberspace training. These measures will not only help build the foundations of the country’s flexibility, but also give young people to affect their need and enhance the culture of national responsibility.

The government has pledged to spend more on armed services in the United Kingdom and invest in military industrial capabilities. This is necessary, but it is not enough for the intense risk scope we face. We need to build a flexible country, just as we have in the past. Fortunately, the fire that affects Heathrow was extinguished and resumed services. We may not be very lucky next time.