Ministers have been accused of lecturing families about what they should keep in their cupboards in preparation for a national emergency.

The Government is urging households to store bottled water, tinned food, cash and toilet roll as part of a campaign preparing for a major crisis caused by extreme weather or a cyber attack.

Its Be Ready guide advises keeping nine litres of drinking water per person in case mains supplies are disrupted or shops remain closed for up to three days. It also recommends stocking meat, vegetables and fruit that can be eaten without cooking or refrigeration.

The suggested home survival kit includes a battery-powered or wind-up FM radio, a torch, a first aid kit and essential medication. Blankets are also advised in case of power cuts.

The Be Ready guidance further suggests identifying escape routes from the home and agreeing a meeting point with relatives in the event of a disaster. Families are also encouraged to complete a form listing details such as insurance policy numbers and the frequencies of their favourite radio stations.

Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said people should consider how they would respond if a natural disaster struck, hackers targeted businesses or terrorists disrupted supply chains.

‘How would we cope if the payment systems at the local supermarket went down?’ he asked during a visit on Thursday.

‘Those are the kinds of everyday challenges and threats we could well face. It is right that we ask the country to prepare for them and encourage everyone to do their bit.’

Security minister Dan Jarvis said: ‘The storms last winter and the wildfires this summer have demonstrated how severe weather can disrupt daily life and affect essential services, including phones, power, water and the internet.’

Critics, however, described the advice as excessive and argued that Labour should concentrate on protecting the country by increasing funding for the Armed Forces and strengthening critical infrastructure, including power plants.

The campaign follows widespread anger over the Government’s decision during the summer to send emergency alerts to every mobile phone in the country warning that lighting barbecues could trigger wildfires.

Reform MP Danny Kruger, who is overseeing the party’s preparations for government, said: ‘Ministers should be doing their job, not telling families how to do theirs.

‘The Government needs to invest urgently in defence to deter aggressors and harden potential targets.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Broadcaster Emma Willis Scandal And Controversy Explained – NewsFinale

‘With our undersea cables, military bases and civilian infrastructure exposed to Russian or Iranian attack, and our digital systems vulnerable to hackers anywhere in the world, a major increase in defence spending at next week’s Budget is critical.

‘Meanwhile, ordinary people need help with the cost of living, not bossy lectures about bottled water.’

Tory security spokesman Alicia Kearns said: ‘Preparing for emergencies is important.

‘But the Government should put its own house in order before lecturing the public. It is not families that are failing to fund our defence or secure reliable energy; it is Labour.

‘With threats to our national security increasing, we must all be prepared for every eventuality.

‘We each have a role to play, but the Government must lead by example.’

Lord Hannan, director general of the Institute of Economic Affairs, said: ‘Britain is not a country on the brink of catastrophe, and ministers should not behave as though it were. 

‘The last thing we need is a Government encouraging people to panic. The purpose of government is to provide security and reassurance, not to frighten people into stockpiling tins of beans.’

And Dr Valentin Boboc, chief economist at the institute, added: ‘There is nothing wrong with encouraging households to be prepared for emergencies, but the Government should be careful not to create unnecessary alarm.

‘Talking up the prospect of a national crisis risks undermining consumer confidence at a time when households and businesses are already facing considerable economic uncertainty. 

‘Ministers should focus on ensuring that our infrastructure, energy supplies and public services are resilient.’

John O’Connell of the TaxPayers’ Alliance said: ‘Taxpayers want emergency warnings for actual threats, not money wasted lecturing them on common sense.’

The Be Ready website tells households: ‘Being ready for three days helps you manage while support reaches those most in need.’ 

It advises: ‘Check your cupboards first to see what essentials you already keep at home’ and note down what is still needed.

A controversial One Nation cartoon showing Australian politicians being deliberately struck by a vehicle has resurfaced after the alleged attack on independent MP Helen Haines, reigniting a fierce debate over the limits of political satire.

Called The State of Melbourne, the cartoon was produced by One Nation two years ago. It features animated depictions of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and former Victorian premier Daniel Andrews being hit by a vehicle.

The video opens with a reference to Andrews’ involvement in a collision with a teenage cyclist, before taking a far darker turn. It shows a vehicle intentionally running down politicians and well-known Australian figures, including Robert Irwin and Bluey.

Its return to public attention following the alleged attack on Haines has prompted calls for the cartoon to be removed, while others have defended it as an example of political humour.

“There are better, mature, less violent, less aggressive ways to deliver a message,” one person said.

Another described it as “gutter politics at its worst”, adding: “She doesn’t deserve to be a senator. She’s a disgrace to Australian politics. Just when you thought she couldn’t get any lower.”

However, other Australians argued the cartoon was being unfairly condemned over an incident that occurred years after it was released.

“What happened was horrific, but are you for real? A cartoon that came out long before it happened,” one Australian said.

Another person said: “Remember when Australia could laugh and not be so politically correct? These videos are hilarious.”

A third added: “Oh now, One Nation can predict the future through cartoons? And I only thought The Simpsons could do that!”

Dr Haines had both legs amputated after 43-year-old Brendan Nugent allegedly struck her deliberately with his four-wheel-drive vehicle.

She remains in a critical condition at Melbourne’s Alfred Hospital.

The alleged attack occurred on Monday outside Dr Haines’ electoral office in Wangaratta, about three hours north-east of Melbourne.

ALSO READ: Don't look behind you! Golfer shows nerves on steel from the tee as two male pythons fight for the right to mate just metres away – NewsFinale

Nugent, whom neighbours said lived alone on a remote property in nearby Tarrawingee, appeared briefly in court on Wednesday. He faces charges including dangerous driving causing serious harm.

His lawyer, Chirag Patel, told the court that Nugent had not previously been diagnosed with a mental health condition. However, he expressed concern about his client’s psychological wellbeing and requested an assessment.

The motivation behind the alleged attack remains unclear.

There is no suggestion that the One Nation video influenced the alleged attack on Haines or that the two incidents are connected.

It’s not the first time a One Nation cartoon has sparked controversy this week.

Pauline Hanson was forced to apologise after the party’s latest Please Explain cartoon was accused of mocking independent senator Jacqui Lambie’s struggle with vaginal prolapse.

The animation sparked backlash from politicians across the political divide, with Lambie publicly condemning One Nation on Monday.

Speaking in Tasmania that same day, Hanson initially dismissed the criticism, telling Lambie to ‘get over it’.

‘Jacqui Lambie, get over it… it is actually satirical.’

‘I think she’s taken it to heart, which she shouldn’t be. You know, have a good look at it, and have a bit of a laugh Jacqui, and lighten up,’ she added.

But by Tuesday, Hanson had reversed her position and issued an apology, claiming she had not seen the cartoon before it was published.

‘The video went up without me actually seeing it, and I was not aware of its content. I have spoken to the creator of that video and I’ve asked him to actually change it,’ Senator Hanson told News24.

‘I respect people’s views and opinions out there and it wasn’t as tastefully done as it could have been. And I do apologise for that, and I’ve already spoken to them about changing it.’

Ashley Marie Esselborn’s classic Southern belle appearance once helped her pursue a promising modeling career. Today, however, her time in front of the camera is a distant memory as she serves a lengthy prison sentence.

The 25-year-old is three years into an eight-year term for her role in the fatal beating of Zachary Wood inside a Wichita Falls, Texas, home in 2022. Prosecutors said Esselborn encouraged the attack.

The violence was so severe that police characterized the scene as a “massive bloodletting event.” Esselborn was initially charged with murder, but later reached a plea agreement in which she pleaded guilty to tampering with evidence.

Esselborn has made repeated attempts to secure her release. Last month, however, a parole board denied her petition for the second time, concluding that she remained too dangerous to return to the community.

Before her arrest and conviction, Esselborn earned money as a Hooters server and OnlyFans model.

Her OnlyFans income was reportedly substantial enough that, following her 2022 arrest, she asked whether those earnings could be used to cover her $50,000 bond.

Esselborn’s story also attracted the attention of the true-crime documentary series Lethally Blonde, which examines cases involving people known for their physical appearance. The program devoted an entire episode to her case.

Since her incarceration, photographs and court records have documented a marked change in Esselborn’s appearance.

A form completed after her 2022 arrest listed Esselborn’s weight as 135 pounds. When she appeared in court in 2023, records stated that she weighed 185 pounds.

Images from the following three years appear to show further changes in her weight and appearance.

Her successive mugshots also show visible differences each time a new photograph was taken.

Esselborn’s prospects worsened further after her September parole application was rejected following several concerns raised by the parole board.

One finding stated that she had made an “unsatisfactory institutional adjustment” while incarcerated, although the board did not provide additional details about the alleged shortcomings.

The board also cited the “brutality, violence and assaultive behavior” connected to the offense. Officials said her conduct reflected a “conscious disregard for the lives, safety, or property of others” and concluded that she continued to present a threat.

The circumstances surrounding Wood’s death provide the disturbing backdrop to Esselborn’s case.

A May 2022 police report seen by the Daily Mail said Wichita Falls Police Department cops responded to a home in the Texan city for a welfare check.

Inside they found Wood dead and immediately suspected foul play. 

A search of the home by responding officers found that it had been ransacked and ‘evidence of a massive bloodletting event’ had taken place in multiple rooms, the report said. 

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Engineer accused of making girlfriend shower in the dark, court hears

Payton Collier, who was living with Wood at the time, was interviewed by police. She denied knowing what happened to his friend. 

After a forensic search of her phone, they uncovered text messages sent to Collier which said: ‘What’s going on?’

According to the report, Collier responded: ‘I’m beating the f*** outta him rn, he stole my f****** s***.’

She later followed that up by saying: ‘Come and help me!! I’m beating the f*** out of him,’ followed by an image of her hand covered in blood, the report said. 

Two days after Wood was murdered, Collier reported to a police station and gave a follow up statement, police said. 

In that, she said that it was her boyfriend Ronnie Lang who had killed Wood using his ‘hands, feet, and a baseball bat.’

She also identified Esselborn as being at the scene, saying that while she didn’t assault him she was ‘cheering them on while they were assaulting him.’

In her own statement to police, Esselborn said she was inside the home when Wood was killed. 

She said that she and Wood slept in the same room and she woke up to find some of her belongings and a bundle of unknown drugs missing from her purse. 

Esselborn said that Collier was also missing money from her purse and started questioning Wood over the alleged theft. 

According to Esselborn, Lang then entered the room and started beating Wood until he died, before the group later discarded of bloody items they had with them.

The day after that, another witness came forward and said that Esselborn returned home the night after she made her statement and bragged about not being arrested.

According to that witness, who was not named, she overheard Esselborn ‘bragging that she didn’t go to jail and that she had also put hands on [Wood],’ the report said.

She initially was facing a charge of murder in relation to the death of Wood and of tampering with evidence. 

That murder charge was later dismissed after she pleaded guilty to evidence tampering in May of 2023, and was sentenced to eight years in prison. 

Both Collier and Lang as well as third accomplice William Bell all accepted deals after pleading guilty to Wood’s murder. 

Lang is currently serving 50 years behind bars, Bell was sentenced to 30 years in 2023 while Collier was handed 25 years behind bars. 

Former White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt offered a pointed assessment of Katie Zacharia’s brief, one-week run in the position she once held.

“The job obviously was not for her, but we wish her and her family well,” Leavitt told Fox News Digital backstage during a Turning Point USA campus tour stop at California Polytechnic State University.

Leavitt said President Donald Trump was still weighing potential candidates for the role. She also said she had offered her own experience to assist him in selecting Zacharia’s successor.

Speaking to students on campus, Leavitt also described the intense preparation behind her first White House press briefing after becoming Trump’s initial press secretary during his second term.

“I prepared like heck for that first briefing,” Leavitt said.

“I poured myself into my preparation. I read, I studied, I talked to every Cabinet member, I talked to the president. I just absorbed as much information as this noggin up here could.”

Her remarks came after Zacharia’s time in the White House press secretary’s office ended only days after a shaky first appearance behind the briefing-room podium.

Trump first reached out to Zacharia about the position on October 7 and announced her appointment two days later, on October 9.

Zacharia formally started the job on October 12 and appeared before reporters for the first time the next day.

That debut lasted approximately 14 minutes, with only three journalists given the opportunity to ask questions.

Trump nevertheless defended her performance, telling reporters, “I thought she did excellent. She did very good.”

The appointment soon drew scrutiny, particularly over Zacharia’s limited time to prepare and her experience dealing with the White House press corps.

Questions also emerged about her legal background after reports noted that she had not passed California’s bar examination in 2011.

DON’T MISS: Ilhan Omar’s Journey from Somalia to the US by Wooden Boat Revealed

Following the exam, Zacharia relocated to Beijing with her husband and worked for a Chinese law firm.

Although she never passed the bar, Zacharia regularly appeared on television as a legal analyst, discussing legal and political matters while referring to herself as a lawyer.

Her troubled debut was followed by a tense appearance on Sean Hannity’s Fox News program on October 15. The interview came just hours before she was removed from the position the next day.

Hannity questioned her aggressively about the widely criticized briefing and challenged her repeated description of herself as a lawyer despite her failure to pass the California bar exam.

He challenged her explanation for the short briefing, asking: ‘Why only three questions in 14 minutes?’ before warning her that the White House briefing room would ‘never be a friendly room to you.’

Zacharia defended herself by blaming the whirlwind hiring process and lack of preparation time, but the combative interview added to the scrutiny surrounding her brief tenure.

As Leavitt reflects upon her first briefing, the lack of preparation on Zacharia’s end gave a major disadvantage.

Trump announced Leavitt’s appointment on November 15, 2024, while he was still president-elect.

She didn’t deliver her first White House press briefing until January 28, 2025, giving her more than two months between the announcement and her debut.

Leavitt, who was 27 when she took the job, became the youngest White House press secretary in history.

Her first briefing lasted around 46 minutes, during which she took questions on the administration’s agenda and media access.

Leavitt announced her departure from the role on August 12, attributing the decision to wanting to spend more time with her growing family.

Trump praised Leavitt as one of his most trusted aides and said he understood her decision to spend more time with her family.

She also agreed to remain an outside adviser to the president.

Now, however, Leavitt is preparing for a return to the national spotlight.

Fox News announced on October 5 that she would join the network as an on-air contributor, providing political analysis and commentary across its platforms beginning November 1.