How sewage in the sea added to electoral storm facing UK Tories

CGTN Europe

The condition of the UK's waterways and beaches is a key issue for millions of voters in the upcoming general election, as the tide looks to be going out on the ruling Conservatives after 14 years in power.   CGTN’s Iolo ap Dafydd went to Eastbourne to meet angry campaigners.   Read more: https://shorturl.at/iG9A7

Transcript

00:00Summer means tourists, a place to enjoy the sea air, have some space and sometimes enjoy the sun.

00:09There is something else along the south coast of England, sewage.

00:14If we don't fight this sort of thing, we will get what we deserve and that will be rubbish water work and sewage in our streams and rivers.

00:24An increasing number of swimmers venture out to sea all year round.

00:28Carolyn and up to 40 of her friends take the plunge four or five times a week.

00:33Water is a vital resource, we need to look after it.

00:36The trouble with Britain at the moment, it's in such a belly mess.

00:40Every single area you think of, the judiciary, the police, education, NHS, armed forces, they've all been so underfunded, everything is on its knees.

00:52Tens of thousands of voters in dozens of parliamentary constituencies blame water companies, regulators and the government for not stopping sewage pollution in recent years.

01:03Distributing clean water and getting rid of waste water is a privatised business in many parts of the UK.

01:10The company with a contract in this region is Southern Water.

01:16It is reported that it hopes to increase its water bills in the next five years by up to 91%.

01:24Across England last year there was a recorded almost half a million sewage spills across the country, up 54% in contrast to the previous year.

01:36It does explain why there is so much frustration and anger felt by many voters.

01:42They sort of say, oh everything's fine, and yet, you know, there's thousands of hours of sewage going into the sea, which can't be good.

01:53I think a lot of people will change the way they vote.

01:55We've got to sort out the sewage in the waters because I know people who do go and swim there and they're disgusting.

02:02It just depends what's promised, I think, what's promised, but then what's promised and what's done are two separate things.

02:09More than a quarter of the population is aged 65 or over in a region which is more affluent than many others in Britain.

02:16But after 14 years and five Conservative Prime Ministers, there's despair with failing public services.

02:23Where we're standing now, I'm looking across to it at Splash Point, Cliff End, Seaford Head.

02:29There is an out, and that's had quite a lot of sewage spills and outflow from there.

02:35It's dangerous, it's unhealthy, it's a health hazard, absolutely a health hazard.

02:39For the first time, some are refusing to pay a percentage of their water bills.

02:44Others are considering joining the protest.

02:47Many voters have already decided to punish the government in a shifting political time.

02:53Yoloab David, CGTN, on the south coast of England.

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