Speaking on Saturday as he hit the campaign trail in Chichester, West Sussex, the party leader said the public were “alarmed” about the damage being done to rivers and seas in the UK and that it was an environmental, public health and economic issue. In the run-up to the General Election, the Lib Dems have unveiled plans to abolish Ofwat and introduce a new water regulator to tackle the sewage crisis and claimed that party analysis shows water company bosses have pocketed some £54 million in bonuses since 2019. Enjoying Eastbourne's ice cream and hearing directly from local people.
🍦 The Conservative vote is melting away as they fail to address soaring living costs, sewage dumping, and the crisis in our NHS. pic.twitter.
com/otglrwWgIl — Ed Davey (@EdwardJDavey) May 24, 2024 According to the Environment Agency, sewage spills into England’s rivers and seas more than doubled in 2023 with 3.6 million hours of spills last year – equal to about 400 years – compared with 1.75 million hours in 2022.
Sir Ed smiled as he donned a buoyancy aid for a short boat trip around the Birdham Pool Marina to highlight the area’s natural beauty with Lib Dem Chichester candidate Jess Brown-Fuller. At another event in Winchester, Hampshire, on Saturday afternoon, he discussed the rarity and importance of the local chalk streams on a dog walk with supporters and party candidate Danny Chambers. The leader laughed as he cuddled a golden retriever and fed treats to dogs sporting bandana.