We cannot afford another summer of sewage spills in Yorkshire - Rachel Reeves

It's because our natural environment is so important that we as a country - and me as a politician - have a duty to protect it.

When I visited Bempton Cliffs a couple of weeks ago I saw the work being done to preserve the huge array of wildlife that depends on the Yorkshire coastline. From protecting the habitats for threatened seabirds and the homes for some of our most endangered species, to working with the country’s leading scientists to monitor for the threat of avian flu.

It’s a spectacular place to visit. And I was struck, not just by its beauty, but by the dedication of the team that worked there and the many people who volunteer at the reserve throughout the year. However, I was also struck by how these areas of natural beauty and heritage are under threat by the raw sewage that is still being released into our rivers, waterways and coastal waters.

You only have to look at the official statistics to see how bad the situation is becoming. In the constituency of East Yorkshire last year, there were 943 sewage dumps. That is the equivalent to a new sewage spill every nine hours. In Great Grimsby, there were 211 sewage dumps, 488 in Cleethorpes and 354 in Scunthorpe. I was told during my visit that sewage had discharged into a tributary of Danes Dyke close to Bempton reserve 54 times for around 77 hours in 2022.

It's shocking. And the impact of these sewage spills can be devastating for local communities. We have all heard the stories or read about them in the news. Beaches forced to close because of raw sewage in the sea. Swimmers told to stay away because it’s unsafe to swim. Businesses struggling or forced to close because of reductions in tourism. And government ministers on the airwaves failing to take any responsibility for the crisis whatsoever.

We cannot have another summer like this. I feel passionately about this as a Yorkshire MP, but also as the potential next Labour Chancellor of the Exchequer. Tourism is worth over £29bn a year for the rural economy, with the UK’s natural environment – such as our coastal beaches and woodlands – contributing £12bn to tourism and outdoor leisure in 2019 alone. It supports the livelihoods of almost 225,000 people in Yorkshire, according to the latest figures from the county’s tourism agency. I want to see these numbers grow and I believe they can, because I can see the huge potential we have as a region and as a nation to attract visitors.

But, a strong economy needs a strong environment. If we damage our natural environment, then our economy pays for it – whether that is fewer tourists spending money on the high street or businesses forced to shut because of a drop off in trade.

That’s why when I visited Bempton I promised that the next Labour government will protect our natural environment and support our rural economies to thrive by ending the Conservatives’ sewage crisis. This promise is backed up by a comprehensive plan to deliver for local communities.

First, a future Labour government would introduce mandatory monitoring on all sewage outlets, so we know exactly what is being dumped, how often and where.

Second, we would introduce automatic fines for discharges, meaning households would be protected from picking up the bill for the failures of the large water companies.

Third, we would set an ambitious, legally binding target to stopping systematic sewage dumping once and for all. And fourth, we would act to ensure that water bosses are held to account for negligence.

This should not be a party political issue. Communities in Yorkshire should be able to enjoy the place where they live without having to worry about raw sewage. And if the Conservatives wanted to adopt our plan and put it to a vote in Parliament, I would be at the front of the queue to back them. Sadly, they have failed to do so.

But I also know that there is more to be done to protect our natural landscapes than ending the sewage scandal. We need to look at new ways we can breathe life back into our countryside and coastal communities, which for too long have felt left behind by Westminster. It was the Labour Government of 1951 that created the first National Park in the Peak District. It was the Labour Government of 1997 that delivered the ‘right to roam’ across our nation’s mountains, moors and heaths. And it will be the next Labour Government that will breathe life back into our countryside and coastal communities and break down the barriers to opportunity that they face.

These are political priorities for me, but they are economic imperatives too. The economy and the natural environment can go hand-in-hand. I don’t want to spend another summer hearing about sewage polluting our communities.

The Government can finally act and I would urge them to do so. If they don’t then a Labour government will. And together we will restore our county’s beauty spots for the next generation.

Rachel Reeves is the Labour Member of Parliament for Leeds West and Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer.