National alert system not nanny state interference, says Dowden

The senior Conservative admitted the alarm, which was due to ring on millions of mobile phones at 3pm, would be ‘a bit inconvenient and annoying’.

Millions of UK mobile phone users will receive a test of a national alert system on Sunday (Yui Mok/PA) (PA Wire)

The Deputy Prime Minister has denied that the national alert system being tested on Sunday is an example of nanny state interference.

Oliver Dowden conceded the loud alarm that is due to ring on millions of mobile phones at 3pm would be “a bit inconvenient and annoying”, as well as “irritating”.

But he said the warning system was not an over-reaching of the state as it “could be the sound that saves your life” in the future.