Barnsley MPs back plan for greater control in our water system

Barnsley's MPs; Stephanie Peacock MP (Barnsley South), Dan Jarvis MP (Barnsley North), Marie Tidball (Penistone and Stocksbridge) have backed the Prime Minister's plans to bring more public control to our country's water system.

The Prime Minister has confirmed that the Labour Government will remove the Thatcher-era ban on government ownership of water companies. As part of the Prime Minister’s determination to deliver public control of the essentials of life, Labour will scrap ideological barriers to a water system that works for the public, introduce new powers for Mayors to hold water companies to account and tighten the ban on executive bonuses.

The ideological ban on government share ownership of water companies was introduced by Thatcher in 1989 but doesn’t exist for any other utilities. We have been a global outlier in having such a privatised water system.

This Labour Government will repeal this outdated measure, paving the way for greater public control of failing water companies and a water system that works in the public interest.

Mayors, such as South Yorkshire's Oliver Coppard, will be given new powers to hold water companies to account, putting power back in the hands of communities which have too often felt powerless in the face of poor performance, pollution, and underinvestment.

Stephanie Peacock, MP for Barnsley South said:

"Our water system is the leaking monument to the approach that has failed places like Barnsley.

"The measures announced by the Prime Minister will mark a transformation of the water system, putting it back in the service of the public."

Rt Hon Dan Jarvis, MP for Barnsley North said:

“People rightly expect clean rivers, reliable water, and a fair deal for their money.

“These reforms will help put power back in the hands of the public and make sure water companies finally answer to the people they serve.”

Marie Tidball, MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge, said:

“I’m delighted the Prime Minister has started the transformation of our water system, delivering public control of the essentials of life.

“After I was elected, one of my first questions in Parliament was calling for action to ensure Yorkshire Water cleans up its act, after spilling sewage into our beautiful River Don for thousands of hours.

“This is the bold reform our communities have been calling for decades, to bring down water bills, properly hold water companies to account, and put our water system back in the service of the public."