When environment minister Steve Reed revealed plans to lock up water executives if they do not co-operate on sewage spill investigations, he was hoping to show the new Labour government is ready to finally fix the sewage crisis.
However, he received a backlash from water campaigners, who not only don’t believe any of the executives will see the inside of a prison cell, but also voiced concerns about the lack of policy and investment to actually deal with the UK’s failing sewage infrastructure.
Campaigners told i Mr Reed’s announcement originally included no mention of a root and branch review into the water industry’s failings before it was “hastily added” after pressure from environmental groups ahead of a speech at Thames Rowing Club in Putney on Thursday morning.
Put an executive in a real prison to serve real time and maybe they will fall in line. Nothing else has worked.
A fine is just “pay to ignore law”