The huge costs facing Andy Burnham – and the financial tightrope he must walk Politics Andy Burnham said he didn’t set out to deliver a “tub-thumping conference speech” but it was packed with huge pledges to take control over utilities and expand the state. Maurício Alencar considers just how costly his promises are in the long term – and in the next month. Andy Burnham had all the goodies for [...]
South West Water hit with £7.8m fine for ‘horrendous’ pollution offences Water The Environment Agency has fined South West Water £7.8m over a string of pollution-related offences across Devon and Cornwall. The water company pleaded guilty to 24 environmental charges after the Environment Agency investigated incidents that took place between January 2015 and July 2021 in Bodmin, Harlyn, Polperro, Plymouth, and Playing Place. Of the charges, 17 [...]
Burnham to repeal Thatcher-era ban on public ownership of water companies Water The government will repeal a ban on public ownership of water companies as part of ten-year transformation of the privatised water sector, the Prime Minister has announced. Speaking at the Labour conference in Liverpool, Andy Burnham said the privatised water industry introduced under Margaret Thatcher had failed and his government would introduce a new water [...]
Burnham to pledge greater control of water and energy industries September 28, 2026 Andy Burnham will double down on plans to seize greater public control of the water, energy and transport industries tomorrow as he pledges to “break with the flawed thinking of the past 40 years”. In his first speech to Labour’s conference as Prime Minister, Burnham is expected to say Britain is currently “run for vested [...]
Burnham considers giving mayors ‘control over water companies’ September 16, 2026 Prime Minister Andy Burnham plans to create nine regional bodies led by mayors that could bring water companies under public control. Under the proposals, regional leaders would sit on boards alongside public health officials, customers and environmental campaigners. Alongside setting company objectives, it is understood the boards will collect customer feedback through consultation mechanisms modelled [...]
Ditch the ‘usual suspects’: Gov.uk founder urges Labour to look beyond Big Four consultants September 2, 2026 Labour has loudly pledged to slash taxpayer spending on external consultants. However, the founder of a City-based digital consultancy firm told City AM that the government still relies on private firms to plug operational gaps because the civil service previously “got rid of the wrong skills”. Ben Terrett, chief executive and founder of Public Digital, said the [...]
Thames Water creditors eye board shake-up if takeover plan succeeds August 24, 2026 The group of creditors vying to take control of Thames Water has said it will appoint the former bosses of Yorkshire Water and BT Openreach to the utility’s board should it succeed in fending off nationalisation by the government. The London & Valley Water (L&VW) consortium, which includes heavyweight investors including Apollo and Elliott, has [...]
Britain needs to start designing for drought August 13, 2026 The cultural assumption that Britain will always have enough water belongs to a different climate. This summer should be the catalyst for designing around the one we now face, says Alastair Chisholm More than two thirds of England is now in drought. Hosepipe bans are widespread and, should they prove insufficient, drought orders may follow. [...]
Emergency government meeting held over high temperature amid ‘strain on public finances’ August 12, 2026 The government will hold an emergency meeting to discuss the country’s response to this summer’s high temperatures and drought amid fears that it will add a “strain” on the public finances. Prime Minister Andy Burnham will chair the ‘Cobra’ meeting of ministers overseeing health, water, housing and local government, as well as officials from agencies [...]
Thames Water faces fresh threat to survival after pensions regulation breach August 8, 2026 Thames Water is facing a fresh threat to its survival after breaching pensions regulations, opening up the possibility of a costly probe. The Reading-based business, which could run out of cash as soon as December, missed a statutory deadline at the end of June to value its company pension scheme and is now facing a [...]