Helena Dollimore, Labour's candidate for Hastings and Rye, joined campaigners holding a demonstration last Friday in protest over sewage being discharged into the sea along the south coast by Southern Water.
The protest followed several recent sewage releases along the south coast that led to beaches at Bexhill and Normans Bay being closed off.
Helena Dollimore said: “There was a huge turnout for this protest against Southern Water dumping sewage in our sea. This Conservative government has been letting them get away with it for the last twelve years. Whether it's the sewage scandal or the cost of living crisis, the Tories are asleep at the wheel.”
“Sewage dumping is an emergency and we need bold action. A Labour Government will put an end to this disgraceful practice, and clean up our water system. With Labour there will be bold action with mandatory monitors on all sewage outlets and automatic fines for every sewage discharge. And while the Conservatives and our own Tory MP cosy up to Southern Water at their conference, people in Hastings and Rye should know that a Labour Government will do whatever it takes to hold water bosses to account.”
Labour has pledged to introduce a legally binding target to end 90% of sewage discharges by 2030 and stronger sanctions and fines for bosses and companies who fail to do so. The party’s proposals would see the government strike off company directors who fail and for the most serious offenders, including deliberately misleading investigations, prison sentences for those offences.
Image Credits: Helena Dollimore , CleanWater Action .
Amended from article first published in RyeNews by Chris Lawson on 01/09/2022.
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