Sir Keir Starmer IHe has backed a campaign to protect Britain’s rivers and promised to hold water suppliers personally accountable if Labour comes to power next month.
The Opposition Leader said he supported the principles of the Government’s “truly important” rivers declaration. I He warned of growing voter anger over the state of Britain’s rivers, lakes and seas ahead of the general election.
He did not endorse each of the five demands. I While he disagreed with the manifesto, he said he would carry out a “desperately needed” overhaul of regulations.
Starmer said: I“Firstly, well done to you, the newspapers and the media who have worked on this campaign. This is a really important campaign and it makes a lot of sense. When you ask people across the country ‘what are you worried about’ a range of things come up – the cost of living and the NHS as always, but also rising mortgages and the fact that people are really fed up with the Government leaving our waterways, streams, rivers, seas and beaches in such a terrible state.
“I think we need to look at new regulations, in addition to better enforcing existing regulations, and also look at accountability for the heads of companies who are at the helm here. I know from my time running the prosecutor’s office, when you put the blame on the heads of organizations, it takes the focus away from the changes that are so desperately needed.”
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Amid growing public anger over health hazards from sewage and other pollution, and the widespread destruction of wildlife. I He has drawn up a manifesto to repair the damage to Britain’s waterways.
I They called on all political parties to sign the five-point blueprint, which is supported by more than 20 leading environmental organisations and prominent campaigners such as Chris Packham and Deborah Meadon.
This includes policies to improve river health, reduce sewage runoff, implement stricter monitoring, create cleaner bathing beaches and minimize the impacts of agriculture.
Labour is thought to agree with much of the rivers manifesto, but insists that everything in its manifesto must be achievable and fully costed.
Party officials noted that plans to give regulators more power to police sewage spills, introduce reforms to hold water boards criminally liable for dumping untreated sewage and increase nature-based solutions to prevent polluted runoff from farms are in line with the views of many in the party. Irequest.
Comparison with the Labour manifesto Iof
1. River Health: 77% of rivers will be healthy by 2027
what I The next government must publish a roadmap within its first six months of taking office on how it will achieve the UK’s legal target of having 77 percent of rivers in good ecological health by 2027. This must include increased funding for the Environment Agency.
Labour’s argument: There is no mention in the Labour manifesto of legal targets or increased funding for the Environment Agency.
2. Sewage: By 2030, there will be no damage to important areas such as beaches and nature reserves due to sewage runoff.
what I Stop untreated sewage from damaging priority sites (swimming beaches, nature reserves, national parks and chalk rivers) by 2030. Water companies that fail to meet this target will be prosecuted.
Labour’s stance: Labour has said it will bring criminal charges against water company executives who cause persistent pollution, but currently has no plans to tighten sewage spill targets beyond those set by the current government.
3. Watchdog groups: Regulators will stop water companies from damaging the environment for profit.
what I The next government must unveil plans to reform water company regulation, including giving water authorities tougher powers to limit dividends and bonuses to underperforming water companies. A “green mandate” would be imposed on water authorities, forcing regulators to give greater weight to the environment when making decisions about water companies’ business plans.
Labour’s argument: It would give the regulator new powers to block bonus payments, bring criminal charges against executives who pollute our waterways and impose heavy automatic fines for wrongdoing. Labour has not committed to an “environmental duty” for Ofwat.
4. Bathing: Create 100 clean bathing spots in rivers by 2030 what I It says 100 clean bathing sites should be created in England by the end of this parliament and the Environment Agency should start monitoring the water quality at these sites all year round.
Labour’s argument: The party makes no mention of beaches in its manifesto.
5. Agriculture: Farmers need financial support to improve water quality and face enforcement if they damage the environment.
what I Within a year of taking office, the next administration will strengthen the Environmental Land Stewardship Scheme and provide more grants, support and advice to farmers working to improve water quality.
Labour says: Labour will ensure “environmental land management plans work for farmers and nature” but has not yet given details of what that means. There is no mention of an agriculture budget in the Labour manifesto.
Responding to the manifesto, Shadow Environment Secretary Steve Reid said: IA tireless campaign to save Britain’s rivers.
“The Conservatives have stood by and watched as water companies dumped tons of raw sewage into our rivers, lakes and seas.
“The next Labour government will impose special measures on water companies and tighten regulation to make them change their behaviour.”
“We will give the regulator strong new powers to bring criminal charges against water operators for breaking the law and block the payment of multi-million pound bonuses until they remove toxic sludge.”
The Liberal Democrats and the Green Party INo blueprint for the plan has been released so far, and while the Conservative Party does not fully support it, it has included some of its policies in its manifesto, including reforms to the regulatory process for water companies and more funding for farmers.
Starmer’s comments came just days after Labour donor Dale Vince, who has donated more than £5 million to the party, called on the Labour leader for his support. IHe read out the full manifesto and warned that the party needed to send a stronger message about resolving the crisis.
The green energy industry leader said: I If the party takes power on July 4th, it should adopt these proposals.
“What we need is a simple and powerful manifesto so I don’t see why they wouldn’t,” he said. “I expect Labour to crack down on the water companies after the election.”
“My personal favorite policy is to not allow any more dividends until the problem is solved. Let that money go to solving the problem. That’s what we should have done in the first place.”
#1. River Health: 77% of rivers will be healthy by 2027
current situation: England’s rivers were once rich in biodiversity but most now struggle to maintain healthy ecosystems for plants and wildlife. Only 14% of England’s rivers currently have good ecological health and none are in good chemical condition. The current government has a statutory target for 77% to achieve good ecological status by 2027 but unless urgent action is taken this will not be achieved.
the goal: The next administration will publish a roadmap within its first six months on how it will achieve this existing legal target and its long-awaited Chemicals Strategy. This plan must include increased funding for the Environment Agency so that the watchdog can do its job and enforce the law.
2. Sewage: By 2030, sewage spills will no longer damage important areas such as beaches and nature reserves.
current situation: Swimming beaches and nature reserves have been destroyed by sewage spills, but water companies don’t have to clean up all of them until 2045.
the goal: By 2030, untreated sewage will not damage priority sites (bathing beaches, nature reserves, national parks, chalk streams). Water companies that fail to meet this target will be prosecuted. Wherever possible, nature-based solutions will be used to purify sewage.
#3. Watchdogs: Regulators will stop water companies from damaging the environment for profit.
current situation: Water companies have paid out big dividends to investors but have underinvested in infrastructure to prevent environmental damage, due in part to an inconsistent regulatory system that prioritizes economic outcomes over the environment.
the goal: The next government will publish its plan for reform of water company regulation within its first year in power, which must be enacted and implemented during Parliament’s first term. This will include greater powers to limit dividends and bonuses for underperforming water companies, and greater resources for prosecutions. Ofwat will be given a “green duty”, requiring the regulator to give greater consideration to the environment when making decisions about water companies’ business plans.
#4. Bathing: Create 100 clean bathing spots in rivers by 2030
current situation: People in the UK are discovering the joys of swimming in wild waters, but there are only 15 officially recognised bathing spots in England’s rivers, and many of them are unsafe.
the goal: By the end of the next Parliament, 100 bathing sites will be established in England’s rivers. The Environment Agency will begin to monitor water quality throughout the year and must take steps to improve water quality at these sites. Bathing regulations will be changed so that polluters can be prosecuted if bathing sites fail water quality tests.
#5. Agriculture: Farmers need to be given financial support to improve water quality and face enforcement action if they damage the environment.
current situation: Agriculture is the biggest polluter on many rivers, but many farmers have warned they will struggle to make ends meet on post-Brexit farm subsidies, while the Environment Agency has failed to enforce agricultural water quality rules.
the goal: Within its first year in power, the next government will strengthen the Environmental Land Stewardship Scheme to provide more grants, support and advice to farmers working to improve water quality. The Environment Agency will promise to increase the number of farms it inspects each year and take enforcement action against farmers who breach the Water Farming Code.
How to take action to save Britain’s rivers
If you want to encourage the next government to act to protect Britain’s rivers, IRun the manifest as follows:
Write to your local parliamentary candidates and ask if you would support them. IIt will endorse the party’s five-point plan and work to incorporate it into its manifesto before next month’s election.
Write to your local water company, sign the pledge and urge them to be part of the solution, rather than adding to the problem of Britain’s polluted rivers.
share ISpread the manifesto on social media and in your local community.
Join a support group IManifesto already does great work to protect our precious waterways.
If you have a local river story and think it should feature in the campaign please get in touch at lucie.heath@inews.co.uk
As the in-house writer for GallantCEO.com I prefer to remain anonymous as I do not seek anything from my writing only the self gratification of writing for a good cause such as this.
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