Rishi Sunak will lose ‘dozens of Tory seats’ over sewage dumping, claims Lib Dem leader

Sir Ed Davey calls Conservatives ‘mutinous pirates’ in spring conference speech

Liberal Democrat Leader Sir Ed Davey (PA) (PA Wire)

Rishi Sunak will lose “dozens” of Conservatives seats at the next general election if he fails to stop sewage being pumped into rivers, according to Sir Ed Davey.

The Liberal Democrats’ leader pressed for greater action on “one of the biggest environmental crimes in our country” as he spoke at his party’s spring conference in York.

Water companies are only permitted to release sewage during periods of heavy rain so the system does not back up – but campaigners last year warned firms released raw sewage into UK rivers and seas almost 150 times during dry weather in a 12-month period.