Labour set to force vote on banning sewage dumping 'once and for all'

The party has said the Bill represents its plan to end sewage dumping by 2030.Sir Keir Starmer’s party said that it will table an Opposition day motion in the House of Commons today aimed at bringing an end to sewage dumping.

This seeks to impose legally-binding reduction targets and automatic fines for companies found to be dumping waste in rivers and the sea, which Labour argues could bring an end to sewage dumping “once and for all”.

Mr McMahon said: “It is clear that we have a Tory government that has run out of ideas, only regurgitating old announcements that do nothing to end sewage dumping.

“Today, Tory MPs have an opportunity to support Labour’s Water Quality Bill which will put an end to sewage dumping once and for all. Their constituents will be watching to see if they will put the best interests of our country before their party.

“The next Labour government will build a better Britain and end the Tory sewage scandal, delivering mandatory monitoring on all sewage outlets, introducing automatic fines for discharges, setting ambitious targets for stopping systematic sewage dumping and ensuring that water bosses are held to account for negligence.”

The party has said the Bill represents its plan to end sewage dumping by 2030.

Liberal Democrat environment spokesperson Tim Farron said: “This vote will be judgment day for Conservative MPs on the sewage crisis plaguing our coastlines and rivers.

But Environment Secretary Therese Coffey defended the Government’s record on regulation and claimed Labour’s Bill was “ill-considered”.

“Labour have turned a blind eye to raw sewage being dumped almost twice as often in Wales where they are actually in government,” she said.

“They’ve turned Welsh waters into open sewers whilst playing politics in England. It’s clear they haven’t even read the Government’s plan.

“It was a Conservative government that introduced 100% monitoring of storm overflows.

“We’ve brought forward stronger regulations, tougher enforcement and the largest water infrastructure programme in history – an expected £56 billion investment – and we will make fines unlimited so that the polluter always pays.”

Labour has also sent an open letter to Tory MPs for the general election, signed by their opposition candidates such as John Grogan in Keighley.

The letter, also signed by climate change activist and lead singer of the undertones, Feargal Sharkey, accused Conservatives who, during the passage of the Environment Bill “walked through the voting lobbies [voting] to continue the Tory sewage scandal” of blocking Labour-backed amendments to end sewage dumping.

It also claimed Tory MPs showed disregard for the “environment, for public health and for businesses that rely on the beauty and nature of Britain to attract visitors and thrive.”