Paul Davies

Paul Davies

Labour — Colne Valley

Speaking in the House of Commons on 14 September 2026

Debate

Water Sector: Public Ownership

Contribution

I will make a little progress; otherwise, I am not going to get past the next few paragraphs. In 1989, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher sold off our then publicly owned water and sewerage industry for £5.2 billion, arguing that privatisation would bring desperately needed investment to the sector. She told the Commons that she believed it would be a better deal than nationalised water. She hoped it would “proceed successfully”, encouraging the Opposition at the time to “wait and see in the light of the facts rather than pontificate.”—[Official Report, 28 November 1989; Vol. 162, c. 577.] Years later, here we are: we can see in the light of the facts that the private model for water has been far from a success. It has been an economic, environmental and public health failure. I will take an intervention now.

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