Opposition day sewage debate: what happened in parliament?
“I think everyone needs to understand that no Conservative MP voted to pump sewage into our rivers – that is just a left-wing myth.” said Virginia Crosbie, Conservative MP for Ynys Môn.
“None of us voted to discharge sewage into the sea and those of who have spread lies and misinformation should hang their heads in shame.” argued Maria Caulfield, Conservative MP for Lewes.
"It ignores the massive flaw in the amendment (i.e forcing taxpayers to pay up to £600bn to dig up Victorian sewerage system) and the work the government is already doing to reduce discharge from storm overflows." added Fay Jones, Conservative MP for Brecon and Radnorshire.
18 months on from the sewage pollution vote on the Environment Act and a battle still rages on social media between Conservative MPs who furiously deny that they voted the wrong way and, well, basically everyone else.
The issue bubbled to the surface once again yesterday, as yet another key debate on the future of the water industry passed by without significant progress, but this time in farcical fashion.
It was Opposition Day, a parliamentary day in which the opposition can set the agenda, and one of the chosen topics was sewage.
The Labour Party, led by the Shadow Secretary for the Environment Jim McMahon, had proposed what appeared to be a sensible bill which would set a legally mandated target for water companies to reduce sewage spills by 90% by the end of 2030, in addition to automatic fines for illegal releases.
The Conservatives were seemingly cornered, faced with a no-win choice between support the bill and being accused of undermining their own plans, or opposing it and, once again, facing accusations of voting for more sewage.
However, they had a trick up their sleeve which nobody had anticipated and exploited a parliamentary precedent which allowed them to shred the bill, removing anything of merit within it.
By doing so, they placed Labour, and other opposition parties, in the unusual situation where they could no longer support their own bill and had to abstain.
It was subsequently voted down without any opposition, triggering anarchic scenes on social media as the Tories took to Twitter to gloat over their outsmarting of the opposition.
“Bizarrely, Labour didn't vote to tackle sewage today, even though it was their own debate and the words of their own motion.” commented Environment Minister Therese Coffey.
https://twitter.com/theresecoffey/status/1650911299642048526
“Labour called for a debate on sewage discharges today and then refused to vote for their own motion (literally) Daft as brushes.” crowed Lee Anderson.
https://twitter.com/LeeAndersonMP_
Ho ho. However, while the Conservative MPs were patting themselves on the back for winning the latest round of pointless party politics, for those affected by the scourge of sewage pollution it was no joke.
Water quality campaigners, such as SOS Whitstable, had supported the bill and felt strongly that it seemed a fair compromise which bring an end to this crisis in a reasonable timescale.
For us, that such a serious subject, which poses such an enormous threat to the future of our town, should be reduced to a laughing stock by a group of officials who are supposed to represent us but, seemingly, only represent themselves was little more than a slap in the face.
With the local elections looming and a general election next year, it may not be the government who enjoy the last laugh on this issue.