Liberal Democrat MP for Richmond Park, Sarah Olney, was featured on the Channel 4 Political Slot in her campaign against sewage pollution in London's waterways last night (Tuesday 5 March).

The slot, which aired at 7:55pm on Tuesday, March 5th, will slam the Conservative MPs for blocking tougher restrictions on polluting water companies, which have allowed 72 billion litres of sewage which have been dumped into the Thames since 2020. 

The piece reinforced the Richmond Park MP's opposition to Thames Water's proposed Teddington DRA scheme.

The proposal, which would see the local Ham Lands nature reserve torn up in order to build a new pipeline, could see another 75 million litres of treated sewage pumped into the Thames each year. 

Olney, who has campaigned for tighter regulations on water companies since her election in 2019, has demanded the Government implement a sewage tax to force polluting organisations to pay for the damage they have caused.

The Liberal Democrats have also called for water company bosses to be banned from receiving bonuses should their companies continue to pollute. 

Sarah Olney said: "For too long, water companies have been allowed to get away with pumping raw sewage into our rivers whilst Conservative Ministers have turned a blind eye.

"Now, Thames Water wants to destroy a local nature reserve which will see yet more sewage into the Thames, yet Ministers are refusing our calls to block this botched proposal. 

"Rather than putting their heads in the sand, it is time Ministers cracked down on these polluting giants by introducing a sewage tax to make water companies pay for the damage they've done."

You can watch the full programme here.