Two named storms bring high winds, power cuts, and travel disruption to UK
Unbiased summary
Storm Austen, the first named storm of the season, brought severe winds and rain to southern England, Wales, and the Channel Islands on Friday, with gusts reaching up to 111mph in Cornwall. Thousands of homes lost power, schools closed, flights were cancelled, and part of Brighton's West Pier collapsed into the sea. A second storm, Boelo, is forecast to bring further strong winds and rain to Scotland, Northern Ireland, and northern England over the weekend, with an amber weather warning in effect. The Met Office has issued multiple warnings, and authorities are advising residents to prepare for travel disruption and potential flooding.
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Coverage by outlet
Morning Star
left
Angle
Frames the story around the ongoing refugee crisis at the France-UK border, using the Calais 'Jungle' anniversary to criticize government policy and advocate for safe routes.
Bias
The Morning Star focuses exclusively on the refugee situation, omitting any mention of the storms entirely. It emphasizes the humanitarian crisis and quotes MSF to push for policy change, deviating significantly from the objective facts of the storm event.
The Guardian
left
Angle
Highlights the impact of Storm Austen on south-west England, including power cuts, school closures, and infrastructure damage, with a slight focus on government response.
Bias
The Guardian emphasizes the severity of Storm Austen and its effects, including quotes from the Prime Minister about flooding risks. It provides a detailed account but leans slightly towards framing the government's preparedness, which adds a subtle political dimension.
BBC News
centre-left
Angle
Provides a straightforward weather forecast and warning for Storm Boelo, emphasizing the potential impact and government advice.
Bias
The BBC focuses primarily on Storm Boelo, giving detailed forecasts and warnings, while downplaying the aftermath of Storm Austen. It stays largely factual but omits some specifics about power cuts and damage from Austen, presenting a forward-looking narrative.
The Independent
centre-left
Angle
Presents a comprehensive, map-based overview of both storms, focusing on weather warnings and regional impacts.
Bias
The Independent provides extensive details on wind speeds, power cuts, and school closures, sometimes with sensational language (e.g., 'danger to life'). It includes multiple articles that collectively offer a broad view but occasionally exaggerate figures (e.g., 111mph gusts) and emphasize disruption.
The Mirror
centre-left
Angle
Offers live updates with a focus on warnings and government response, including the Prime Minister's comments on flooding.
Bias
The Mirror emphasizes 'danger to life' warnings and includes live blog-style updates. It prominently features Prime Minister Andy Burnham's warnings about flooding, giving a slightly political angle. It also misattributes some storm impacts (e.g., stating Storm Boelo caused damage, when it was Austen).
Daily Mail
right
Angle
Dramatizes the storms as 'misery' and 'havoc,' focusing on damage and disruption with emotive language.
Bias
The Daily Mail uses sensational terms like 'devastating winds' and 'fresh misery,' and highlights the collapse of Brighton's West Pier. It includes more details on power cuts (16,000 homes) and travel advice, but frames the events as a continuing crisis, straying from neutral reporting.
GB News
right
Angle
Focuses on the partial collapse of Brighton's West Pier and the historical context, with human-interest elements.
Bias
GB News leads with the pier collapse and includes quotes from a historian, emphasizing heritage loss. It provides some factual details on power cuts but downplays the broader storm impact, focusing on a single dramatic event to engage readers.