Tories 'turning rivers into open sewers', says Starmer

Keir Starmer has accused the government of “turning Britain’s waterways into an open sewer” as data showed raw discharges were sent into English rivers 825 times a day last year.

- Helena Horton Rowena Mason Peter Walker

With private water companies consistently accused of failing to take action, the Environment Agency admitted there were more than 300,000 spillages into rivers and coastal areas in 2022, lasting for more than 1.75m hours.

The alarming figures led to calls for the environment secretary, Thérèse Coff ey, to resign, and added to pressure on Rishi Sunak to do more to tackle the issue.

Clean water has become a politically charged issue before May’s local elections, with both Labour and the Lib Dems mounting campaigns against the government’s record on raw sewage. Tory MPs are reporting voter anger about sewage in England’s rivers and the sea, especially in coastal areas.

Starmer told the Guardian: “Thirteen years of Conservative government have left us worse off as a country in so many ways, including turning our waterways into an open sewer. Sewage dumping is ruining so many areas of our country and the Conservatives are sitting on their hands, with no response to it.”

He promised “real action on this scandal” under Labour, including automatic fines for sewage dumped by water companies and to hold water bosses to account for negligent practices.