Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey experienced a light-hearted mishap during a campaign stop at Lake Windermere on May 28, 2024. While posing for photos with former party leader Tim Farron, both on paddleboards, Davey fell into the water, drawing amused reactions from onlookers.
In a separate event during his visit to the Lake District, Davey proposed a plan for enhancing accountability in the water industry. He suggested appointing local environmental experts as non-executive directors on water company boards to address the ongoing sewage spill issue. Davey criticized Conservative MPs and ministers, accusing them of inaction on the matter. The Liberal Democrats aim to replace Ofwat with a new regulator and implement policies like banning bonuses for water company CEOs and holding community meetings to improve transparency and public accountability. According to the Environment Agency, sewage spills in England more than doubled in 2023, with 3.6 million hours of spills recorded, up from 1.75 million hours the previous year.
United Utilities, the company responsible for managing water in the Lake District, has been a focal point of protests due to accusations of sewage discharges into protected lakes. Since 2019, the firm has reported £2.3 billion in operating profits and paid over £2 million in bonuses to top executives.