Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan marked World Water Day by joining former Undertones lead singer and environmental campaigner Feargal Sharkey to back the Shadow Environment Secretary Jim McMahon’s plan to clean up the “Tory sewage scandal.”
Labour Party analysis has shown that over the last six years, there have been at least 1,261,498 sewage spill events.
This means that on average, water companies have spilled sewage onto British beaches and into waters every two-and-a-half minutes.
Mr Morgan has backed Labour’s plan to clean up the Tory sewage scandal which would:
- Deliver mandatory monitoring of all sewage outlets
- Give the Environment Agency the power to properly enforce the rules
- Introduce a legally binding target to end 90% of sewage discharges by 2030
- Introduce automatic fines for discharges, and a standing charge penalty for discharge points without monitoring in place
- Ensure any failure to improve is paid for by eroding dividends, not added to customer bills, or hitting vital investment in the system
- Water bosses that routinely and systematically break the rules will be held professionally and personally accountable, by striking off company directors and ensuring illegal activity is punished.
Commenting on World Water Day, Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan said:
“World Water Day is a reminder that the government are presiding over a water system that is aging and at bursting point, leading to over a million sewage spills in the past six years.”
“Portsmouth people should be able to enjoy our city’s superb seaside and areas of natural beauty, without having to worry about encountering filthy sewage.
“That’s why I’m backing the plan to clean up the Tory sewage scandal and why I will continue to campaign with local people and community groups until we finally see an end to sewage pollution on our shores.”
Singer turned campaigner Feargal Sharkey has backed Labour’s assessment that the Environment Agency, regulators and system have failed to crack down on sewage pollution. He said:
“That I felt was the most obscene gesture of all, that these decent ordinary people put their trust and faith in the regulator and the system and [it] abused and neglected and breached that trust.”
Stephen Morgan has made campaigning to end sewage pollution one of his top priorities.
Actions to date have included pressing Ministers to intervene, meeting with relevant organisations, raising concerns in debates in the House of Commons and voting for tough environmental laws in Parliament.
