Green Party leader Natalie Bennett visited flood victims in Staveley, Burneside and Kendal yesterday.
She used the visit to say the country needs to stop building new homes on flood plains.
She also championed better management of land - arguing measures like planting trees and hedges and slowing river flows would mitigate flooding.
Ms. Bennett said: "It's clear that there's a huge unmet need from flood victims for support - both practical support in terms of recovery, but also mental health services and councilling to recover from the shock and stress of being flooded. But it's been inspiring to see the way the communities in Kendal, Staveley and other places have come together to help flood victims. We need to make sure they're given the power and resources they need to help them help themselves both now and in the future"
The Green Party leader highlighted the need for effective natural flood mitigation measures: "Thoughts are now turning to preventing this from happening again. It's clear that flood barriers are not enough; we need to reconsider the whole use of land and develop total catchment schemes - improving soil structure, planting trees, maintaining and enhancing hedgerows, reducing soil compaction, slowing river flows. This is required and it requires involvement of all sections of the community, including landowners, farmers and community organisations. In addition to more effective land management we need to ensure that new properties aren't built in flood zones; we know that 10,000 new homes/year in England are built on flood plains. I've met today some of the victims of that approach in Kendal. This clearly needs to end".