The Liberal Democrats are no strangers to election stunts as they vie for attention in a crowded political field: already this year they have produced a giant hourglass to represent “time running out for Rishi Sunak” and have had an activist dress up as a “Tory” dinosaur, holding a sign reading “Make this Conservative government history”.
But getting their leader to fall off a paddleboard into Windermere in the Lake District to highlight England’s sewage crisis is a new one.
Ed Davey has acknowledged that at least one of the falls during a campaign visit to England’s largest lake on Tuesday was deliberate. Asked by the BBC if he had jumped in “on purpose”, Davey confessed: “Once I did. The rest I just kept falling in. But it’s fun.”
He added that there was a “serious message” behind the stunt. “Lakes like Lake Windermere are so precious. Our environment and our wonderful country is so critical to so many people. It’s important for public health, it’s important for the environment, it’s important for the tourist economy.”
The pollution of the country’s waters has become a major political issue. In January, the largest citizen science water testing project ever to take place in the UK found 83% of English rivers contained evidence of high pollution caused by sewage and agricultural waste.
Data released in March revealed that 2023 was the worst year for storm water pollution in England, with a Guardian analysis revealing rivers in the north of the country are bearing the brunt.
The Lib Dems are seeking to capitalise on the strength of feeling on the issue, making it one of their central policy areas. Davey has said local environmental experts should be represented on water companies’ boards to ensure sewage spills are taken seriously.
The party has unveiled plans to abolish the water services regulator, Ofwat, and introduce a new regulator to tackle the sewage crisis, in addition to banning bonuses for water company chief executives.
Davey said: “Water companies are getting away with this national sewage scandal whilst Conservative MPs and ministers have just sat on their hands.
“These disgraced firms are destroying our treasured lakes and rivers with their filthy sewage dumping – hitting human health, harming our precious environment and damaging the local tourism economy all at the same time.
“Enough is enough. It’s time to get tough on the water industry and a key part of that change must be new ways to hold these firms to account, putting power in the hands of the local communities suffering from this scandal.”
