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A letter to my Tory MP, I'd encourage you to do the same

Neil Blood

Neil Blood

Senior Member
I was watching PMQ's today, where Ed Davey asked a question relating to private water company boss bonuses and pollution sewage discharges. Whilst asking the question, he was heckled by Tory MP's and Rishi Sunak, totally ignored the question! Given the drubbing the Tories have just had in the local elections, I'd encourage everyone to write a similar email to there sitting Tory MP, if they have one, as I did earlier and as follows:

Hi,

Earlier today I watched Prime Ministers Questions, where Ed Davey asked a question relating to private water company boss bonuses and sewage pollution discharges.

As a life long angler and conservationist, this is a subject very close to my heart. I was therefore dismayed to see that whilst asking the question, Ed Davey was heckled by Tory MP’s. What made me even more dismayed, was that Rishi Sunak then proceeded to totally ignore the question and instead reply about Lib Dem policy on tuition fees!

I would like to point out that there are approximately 1 million anglers in the UK and as someone who is actively involved in the UK’s largest angling club, which happens to be based in your constituency, I can assure you that feelings are running very high, regarding the health of UK rivers and weak government action. You may also be aware that the River Dane runs through a large part of your constituency. During the last 25 years, I’ve watched this river go from being one, which was thriving with fish, to one which I now consider to be a failing ecosystem!

Please note that based on the above points, you can no longer rely on my vote at the next general election and I know that many other anglers are of the same opinion.

Regards,

Neil
 
Neil Blood said:
I was watching PMQ's today, where Ed Davey asked a question relating to private water company boss bonuses and pollution sewage discharges. Whilst asking the question, he was heckled by Tory MP's and Rishi Sunak, totally ignored the question! Given the drubbing the Tories have just had in the local elections, I'd encourage everyone to write a similar email to there sitting Tory MP, if they have one, as I did earlier and as follows:

Hi,

Earlier today I watched Prime Ministers Questions, where Ed Davey asked a question relating to private water company boss bonuses and sewage pollution discharges.

As a life long angler and conservationist, this is a subject very close to my heart. I was therefore dismayed to see that whilst asking the question, Ed Davey was heckled by Tory MP’s. What made me even more dismayed, was that Rishi Sunak then proceeded to totally ignore the question and instead reply about Lib Dem policy on tuition fees!

I would like to point out that there are approximately 1 million anglers in the UK and as someone who is actively involved in the UK’s largest angling club, which happens to be based in your constituency, I can assure you that feelings are running very high, regarding the health of UK rivers and weak government action. You may also be aware that the River Dane runs through a large part of your constituency. During the last 25 years, I’ve watched this river go from being one, which was thriving with fish, to one which I now consider to be a failing ecosystem!

Please note that based on the above points, you can no longer rely on my vote at the next general election and I know that many other anglers are of the same opinion.

Regards,

Neil
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Hi Neil,
You're a man after my own heart! On the 7th March 2023 I wrote to each of the UK's political parties, addressing my letters, in person, to the individual responsible for environmental issues in their party.
My letter was polite and basically asked them what steps they would take to tackle the dire state of UK rivers. In the case of the Tories, I asked not WOULD they do but what ARE you doing.
I received one reply. A postcard from The Green Party which said "Thank you for your letter".
That's it. Nothing else.
My view is that no political party wants to tackle the problem and would prefer that it "goes away".
 
Any party will find it hugely difficult to promise so much that is so emotive at the moment to pull all the water companies together to legislate a complete reversal of sewage discharge given the antiquated victorian infrastructure.
All very well for Ed Davey to sneer as his want but it is a huge financial undertaking to modernise.
However so is HS2 a huge money pit, and just perhaps our priorities have been skewed? I know what I would prefer .
 
As I write this it's absolutely chucking it down outside 💦 and it got me thinking about this valuable asset (water) which we have in the UK. We don't store enough of it. We allow it to wash out to sea taking with it pollutants from the roads, fertiliser from the land and sewage from our water works. The only route available are our rivers.
I agree with Neil about government priorities being skewed. HS2 is costing £b's just to knock 34 minutes off a trip from London to Manchester!
We need more reservoirs and stronger legislation regarding sewage spillages and pollution from field run-off.
However, I am a realist and the task is huge and I don't believe ANY government have the stomach to take on such a challenge.
 
Joe Winstanley said:
“The government you elect is the government you deserve.”

- Thomas
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The election was won on Boris's vision for a UK that was out of EU. He unfortunately did not address the environment issues, something his father later highlighted as a failure. However it does seem that the present incumbent is equally unconcerned about such issues which is astounding given the growing public anger. Perhaps they see it as not a worthwhile election vote winner, I believe it is.
 
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Who's up for an increase in their water bill?
 
I was invited to a research group evening with UU a couple of weeks ago and setting out there aims and objectives both voluntary and compulsory and with the best guess information on rates of inflation they predicted an increase in the bill of around £100 over the 5 years '25-'30.
 
Damian Kimmins said:
I was invited to a research group evening with UU a couple of weeks ago and setting out there aims and objectives both voluntary and compulsory and with the best guess information on rates of inflation they predicted an increase in the bill of around £100 over the 5 years '25-'30.
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Is that no share holder dividend, management bonuses ? Tax payer and company contribution to the total cost Damian ?
 
Of course not! If you'd invested some of your hard earned wouldn't you want a return?
 
Alexander Shepherd said:
By how much to resolve the problem and share holders give up dividends and management bonuses yes , I’m interested what’s your suggestion ?
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To resolve all the issues will take BILLIONS and a considerable amount of time. Only by taxation will this amount of money be raised. Will the ‘ general public ‘ sanction this. I very much doubt it. They will support it ‘in theory’ but no further I’m afraid.
G.T.
 
Bring the water companies back into public ownership and educate the general public so that they understand that government money is just printed and they can literally print as much or as little as they like. Water companies have a barefaced cheek in saying that they'll finally do what they should have been doing for years but are going to make even more money from you if they do.

Taxation doesn't pay for anything and never does. The government could sort it but do not want to; they are ideologically wedded to ruining this country.
 
Ash Gould said:
Bring the water companies back into public ownership and educate the general public so that they understand that government money is just printed and they can literally print as much or as little as they like. Water companies have a barefaced cheek in saying that they'll finally do what they should have been doing for years but are going to make even more money from you if they do.

Taxation doesn't pay for anything and never does. The government could sort it but do not want to; they are ideologically wedded to ruining this country.
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Well said. We need to move away from this childlike Keynesian concept that Government finances are operated like a set of household accounts. And myths such as taxation pays for government spending, government debt needs to be repaid, banks hold money and lend out other peoples money. None of these are true, just neoliberal falsehoods. And for those that don't believe this to be true, then explain Quantitative Easing (QE)?
 
Joe Winstanley said:
Well said. We need to move away from this childlike Keynesian concept that Government finances are operated like a set of household accounts. And myths such as taxation pays for government spending, government debt needs to be repaid, banks hold money and lend out other peoples money. None of these are true, just neoliberal falsehoods. And for those that don't believe this to be true, then explain Quantitative Easing (QE)?
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I am not an economist but I can’t help but wonder why no governments worldwide agree with your printing endless money being the answer to sound fiscal management .
You could always follow Zimbabwe and use a $100,000,000,000,000 note to buy some milk……
G.T.
 
Graham Tremble said:
I am not an economist but I can’t help but wonder why no governments worldwide agree with your printing endless money being the answer to sound fiscal management .
You could always follow Zimbabwe and use a $100,000,000,000,000 note to buy some milk……
G.T.
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When I did I write anything about printing endless money being the answer to sound fiscal management??
 
How does money raised through taxation get spent?
 
Graham Tremble said:
I am not an economist but I can’t help but wonder why no governments worldwide agree with your printing endless money being the answer to sound fiscal management .
You could always follow Zimbabwe and use a $100,000,000,000,000 note to buy some milk……
G.T.
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That is exactly what American and British government does. American and British debt is in the trillions- incomprehensible figures; and most of the money has been used to create a wealth gap.

Sound fiscal management is a soundbite used to gaslight; it is relevant to household budgets perhaps but not what ethical government spending should be about.

Taxation is used to give value to the paper money that governments print and to pay back some of the debt created through government spending. If you couldn't pay the government back in tax then there would be no value to the paper money printed.

Tax doesn't go into a pot which is then spent. It pays debt; made up debt.
 
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