Liberal Democrat leader makes a splash in Windermere as he calls for tougher water regulations

Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey has focused his parties commitments around the water industry.

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey made a splash in Windermere while paddle-boarding on Tuesday morning as campaigning kicks off ahead of the General Election.

Sir Ed fell into the water in Windermere as he made a splash about sewage.

Speaking at Windermere, Sir Ed said: "We are here in the Lake District at the beautiful Lake Windermere to campaign on the issue of sewage.

"It has been the Liberal Democrats who have been working hard to clean-up our rivers, beaches and lakes.”

Davey also wants to put community environmental experts on water company boards to address the ongoing issue with sewage in the Lake District's waters.

He also was setting out his parties pledges in the Lake District as he announced new plans to reform the water industry.

The Liberal Democrats had already announced they would scrap the regulator Ofwat and ban water CEO bonuses.

Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said: “Water companies are getting away with this national sewage scandal whilst Conservative MPs and Ministers have just sat on their hands.

Ed Davey set his party's manifesto ahead of the General Election. Credit: Pool Pictures

“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.

“Local environmental experts on company boards could hold water bosses’ feet to the fire and local people would finally have a say in how their water company is run.

“Liberal Democrats will have the boldest manifesto plans to end the sewage scandal - from a tough new regulator to a ban on greedy exec bonuses to holding water bosses properly to account.

“This election will be about saving our country’s precious environment for the next generation, not least in special places like the Lake District.”

United Utilities have been contacted for a response.

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