Labour promises to clean up our rivers, lakes, and seas for good

After 14 years of Conservative rule, we're drowning in illegal sewage dumping in our rivers, lakes, and seas. For folks in Wakefield and Rothwell, this problem is all too real.

Our rivers, the Calder and Aire, are among the ten most polluted in the country with sewage spillages doubling between 2022 to 2023.

It's high time water companies are held accountable for their mismanagement. Since the water industry was privatised, only three people have been successfully prosecuted despite widespread illegal activity.

Meanwhile, under the Tories, water executives pocketed £41 million in bonuses, benefits, and incentives since 2020.

This is a slap in the face to communities like ours, who have had to endure sewage in our rivers.

This situation can't go on, and I'm proud that our Labour government is taking action. Just last week, Labour's Water (Special Measures) Bill passed through the House of Commons. This bill takes strong action against water companies and enhances enforcement powers against illegal sewage dumping.

It introduces tougher penalties, including imprisonment for water executives when companies fail to cooperate or obstruct investigations., it also finally bans bonuses for water bosses unless they meet high standards to protect the environment and consumers. Crucially, under these new rules, it’s the water companies who bear the cost of enforcement, not us consumers.

Crumbling infrastructure has become symptomatic with Tory governments, whether it's in our schools, hospitals, or water system. Bursting pipes and successive Conservative governments' failure to invest have left consumers' money being spent irresponsibly on bonuses and shareholder payouts.

We need to fundamentally reform our water sector so that it serves customers and protects the environment. Through Labour's Bill, we've launched the largest-ever Commission into the water sector. This initiative aims to boost investment and speed up the delivery of vital infrastructure to clean up our waterways once and for all. The Bill also ensures that we have the technology to make the water sector more transparent than ever.

Under these new rules, water companies will be required to publish real-time data for all emergency overflows in England. This will create unprecedented transparency and make it easier for the public and regulators to catch wrongdoing and hold water bosses accountable.

Since my election in 2022, people have continuously reported sewage pouring into our rivers. For too long, the Tories have underinvested and left regulators powerless to deal with wrongdoing. Labour's Bill delivers the transparency, accountability, and reforms that consumers are demanding. It promises to finally clean up our rivers, lakes, and seas for good.