Andy Burnham's doomsday preparation campaign was at risk of descending into farce today as he was forced to play down Angela Rayner's joke about stockpiling white wine.

The PM said alcohol should not be 'top of the list' and people would need to keep a 'clear head' as he was challenged on the Housing Secretary's previous light-hearted approach to emergency warnings. 

The rebuttal came as Treasury minister James Murray quipped that the only thing he keeps large stores of at home is coffee.

The flippant remarks contrast with the grim survivalist checklist in the new official 'Be Ready' guidance for emergencies – including having enough food and water for three days and cash in case the electronic payments system collapses.

A wind-up or battery radio, loo roll and baby food are also advised in the print-and-keep document.

Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said yesterday that the guidance would help people brace for events such as wildfires, flooding and cyber attacks. Senior officials and military figures have even been flagging the risk of a strike by Russia. 

However, critics accused the Government of giving 'bossy lectures' and 'encouraging panic' while failing to ramp up spending on Britain's defence. 

At the Labour conference last month, Ms Rayner was asked what she would pack in a so-called 'disaster bag' for emergencies.

She replied: 'Mascara, concealer... I don't know, a bottle of sauvignon blanc. 

'A tin of baked beans because you've got to have some baked beans. I like a good tin of custard as well.

'So I think that will keep me going for a while.'

But quizzed today if wine would also be part of his emergency box, Mr Burnham said: 'I'm not sure that that's the top of the list in terms of the advice that we're giving to the public.

'You need to have a clear head when it comes to a challenging situation.

'So yeah, some tins of food, some bottled water. But I'm sure people are allowed a glass or two as well to get them through a difficult situation,' he added.

Later Mr Burnham told BBC Radio 5's Matt Chorley show that he would include Twiglets in his stockpile. 

'I do like my beans, so I have plenty of those in the cupboard and soup. I think those are the kind of things that I would recommend people to have as well as well as Twiglets,' he said.

'I'm not sure I can get by for too long without those.'

Mr Burnham chaired a summit on wildfire dangers alongside Ms Rayner in Liverpool today – as large parts of the country are being drenched by the first named storm of the season. 

The PM said 'unexpected events seem to be becoming more and more common'.

'Obviously weather events – and we're in a situation today where the UK is facing storms, and obviously we feel for the people without power in Cornwall right now – it is just having those supplies in the house to get you through those moments,' he said.

'We are having that conversation about resilience. That's why we're holding this summit today, it's why we're putting the guidance out to the public.

'We potentially are facing a winter of greater flooding, so it's about recognising all of those risks and taking action.'

Storm Austen has brought severe conditions to parts of the South West, with a gust of 76mph recorded at St Mary's Airport on the Isles of Scilly this morning.

Just before 11am, more than 16,000 homes were without power in the South West, according to National Grid.

Of those, more than 5,000 are customers who have signed up to the priority services register of people who may have additional needs or require extra support.

The Met Office issued an amber warning for wind, covering Cornwall, Devon and the Isles of Scilly, which was in effect from 1am until 10am today.

The PM told BBC Radio 5 that the Government would do all it could to help people in the South West.

'I feel for the people in Cornwall today, I think already 9,000 people without power. We will be supporting them in every which way that we can, and the emergency services down there,' Mr Burnham said.

Forecasters have now issued an amber warning for wind from Storm Boelo, which is in place for 24 hours from 9pm on Saturday covering Scotland, the north coast of Northern Ireland, and Cumbria and Northumberland in the north of England.

Touring broadcast studios this morning, Mr Murray appeared to play down the significance of the guidance, insisting households did not have to buy all the things on the checklist.

'I'm going to have a look at what's on the Government website and work out what's right for me, because I think that's kind of what everyone should do,' he told Times Radio. 

'This is not about the Government sending out a shopping list to everyone in the country.' 

Confronted with Ms Rayner's previous joke, Mr Murray said he did not 'have much need for mascara'.  

'To be honest I probably stockpile coffee at home. That's the one thing I never run out of,' he added.

'I had some of that earlier this morning.'

Mr Murray repeated his line about coffee when he was challenged on whether he had stockpiled anything.

'I've got quite a lot of coffee in my house,' he said. 

He added: 'I'm not going to pretend I've followed all that advice myself yet.'

Mr Murray insisted the Government was trying to have a 'sensible conversation', arguing that other countries such as France, Ireland and the Netherlands issue similar guidance.

The minister denied the suggestion it's 'advice for the middle class' who can afford to stockpile: 'It's advice for people to work out what they can do based on their resources, on what their needs are and how they want to approach it. 

'This is not about the Government telling people what to do. It's about making sure everyone's got the right information and is thinking about it ahead of time.'

Kemi Badenoch said the Government should be 'doing what it needs to do to look after us' rather than just giving advice on emergency preparedness.

During a visit to Cheshire Constabulary Headquarters, the Tory leader said many people already take precautions.

'You look at rural areas, like in my constituency, the supermarkets aren't on the doorstep like they are in cities,' she said.

'People tend to have not just the food but the supplies, battery packs, torches, in case something goes wrong.

'We have power cuts on occasion, and if you're in the middle of nowhere, it's dark and cold. You do need to look after yourself.

'What I want to see is the Government doing what it needs to do to look after us.

'The Defence Secretary is talking about stockpiling, but he won't tell us if he's found the money to pay for our defence.

'We need him to be looking after this country, manning the borders, ensuring the soldiers have all the equipment that they need.'

She later added: 'I don't mind them giving advice. I worry that between the Prime Minister being on Gogglebox and then talking about stockpiling canned goods, they're not actually doing the really difficult stuff that will protect the country.'

Tory frontbencher Neil O'Brien told the Daily Mail: 'Given that the Government is failing to fund defence properly and has failed to stop dangerous people arriving on small boats, ministers might want to start focusing on the big stuff rather than ensuring they can always lay their hands on a flat white.'

Mr Streeting insisted yesterday that 'everyone needs to do their bit' on emergency preparation – with a radio and social media campaign set to spread the message in the coming weeks. 

However, the Government seems to have taken a very low-key approach to the launch, activating the site without fanfare months after Keir Starmer's administration signalled the campaign was coming.

Mr Streeting's comments came at a launch for an entirely different Government announcement.