Tories Voted Down Cleaning Up Raw Sewage, Gave Nearly Identical "Answers" To Pissed-Off Voters
The government has launched a defensive social media campaign after MPs faced anger from their constituents over last week’s sewage vote, in which an amendment to the environment bill that would have placed a legal duty on water companies not to pump waste into rivers was voted down. Many Conservative MPs posted almost identical statements on Monday morning after a weekend of anger over the vote. Government sources confirmed to the Guardian that the information in these posts had been supplied by No 10.
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There has been consternation inside government at the way the vote on the amendment last week has been portrayed, with insiders insisting that if the measures had been adopted they would have added a huge cost to water companies that would then have seen them write a “blank cheque” to pass on to consumers. One Tory MP said the size of the rebellion last week had also caused concern, and the government was – ironically – “shitting themselves”. The rebellion could grow further if Conservative backbenchers who abstained last time switched to supporting the amendment when it is likely to be reintroduced by the Lords on Tuesday.
A government source said they would not accept the same amendment because it would have huge implications – including potentially digging up people’s homes and businesses – but signalled they were open to further compromise. They said: “Our door is very much open. We’re willing and ready to engage and are doing a lot of work in this area.” The health minister Maria Caulfield criticised those who were lobbying their MPs on social media. She said: “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. Don’t ask why MPs get death threats if you have been part of this today #toxic.”
he vote came seven weeks after wastewater plants were given permission by the government to dispose of sewage not fully treated because of a shortage of chemicals resulting from a lack of HGV drivers. The sewage measure, introduced in the Lords by the Duke of Wellington, is due to return to the upper house on Tuesday, where it is expected to be sent back to the Commons for another vote by MPs. There were 403,171 spills of sewage into England’s rivers and seas in 2020, according to the Environment Agency, adding up to over 3.1m hours of spillages.
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https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/oct/25/sewage-vote-outcry-prompts-tory-mps-to-defend-decision-on-social-media