This is an encouraging step in the right direction for constituents of mine in Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton who deserve good quality drinking water as well as clean rivers and streams where they live. However, more needs to be done to improve water quality and bring down water bills for the long term – one way in which I am fighting to foster decent homes for local people, a priority of mine at the election for local people.
The government’s Water Bill, which is currently going through the legislative process in Parliament, and the launch of a new Independent Water Commission are just two ways in which we are swiftly acting to strengthen regulation, boost investment, and reform the water sector.
Labour promised at last year’s general election to force water companies to clean up our rivers, give regulators new powers to block the payment of bonuses to executives who pollute our waterways, and bring criminal charges against persistent law breakers. We are delivering on these promises, in a way which the Conservatives failed to do for 14 years.
The last Labour government left a legacy of the cleanest water since the Industrial Revolution, and we want to reverse the Tory damage to build on that legacy.
Jim McMahon OBE MP 