LOCAL POLITICIANS have accused the Welsh Labour candidate for Monmouth of “hypocrisy”, after laying the blame for river sewage with the UK Government.
Catherine Fookes and Andrew Ranger, who are the Welsh Labour candidates for Monmouth and Wrexham respectively, have signed a letter by the Shadow Environment Secretary, Jim McMahon, who has hit out at river pollution.
The Welsh Labour candidates have signed the letter, despite rivers being devolved to the Labour-run Welsh Government, meaning the UK Conservative Government has no control over the remit. Interestingly, two rivers that experience pollution are actually in the Monmouth constituency - therefore falling under the jurisdiction of the Labour-run Welsh Government.
Commenting, David TC Davies, the Secretary of State for Wales and the Member of Parliament for Monmouth, said:
“The stance Ms Fookes has taken is nothing short of outright hypocrisy – and it is demonstrably untrue to insinuate that the UK Conservative Government hasn’t put in place strong restrictions on tackling river pollution.
“The UK Conservative Government is taking action right now – investing in improvements to 800 overflows, as well as requiring water companies to deliver their largest ever infrastructure investment to the tune of £56 billion of capital investment.
“Ms Fookes is well-aware of the credible action the UK Conservative Government has deployed in England but has chosen to ignore the inaction of the Labour-run Welsh Government.
“I urge her to put the interests of Wales first and encourage her Labour colleagues running the Welsh Government to tackle pollution in Welsh rivers.”
And Peter Fox, the Member of the Senedd for Monmouth, added:
“I found it very interesting to read that the letter hitting out at the devolved subject of rivers was signed by two Welsh Labour candidates, one of whom will be standing in Monmouth.
“The track record of Labour on sewage in Wales is certainly terrible, as nearly a quarter of all discharges are here, two of which are in the Monmouth constituency.
“I presume Ms Fookes will be writing and signing a similar letter to the Welsh Government over its lack of action on tackling river pollution.”
ENDS/
Editors’ notes:
Please see attached a copy of the submitted letter.