2 h. ago One in five struggled to pay water bill in last year – Citizens Advice

Over a third of those struggling (35%) were rationing water, including by cutting showers, toilet flushes and clothes washing, the charity found.

Economics

2 h. ago 'There’s nothing you can do' says young mum hit with massive water bill hike

Research has revealed the impact of soaring water bills as campaigners press government for national social tariff

Events

3 d. ago Bottom trawling to continue in English protected waters, government rules

Defra says blanket ban on ‘destructive’ fishing practice disproportionate as MPs urge minister to reconsiderSeabed bottom trawling, described by the chair of a Commons committee as a “destructive” fishing practice, will continue in English marine protected areas (MPAs), the government has announced.Despite having official designation as protected areas for creatures including dolphins, puffins and seahorses, damaging industrial methods are still allowed to take place. Continue reading...

Politics

3 d. ago This is no time to overload business with new employment regulations

Editorial: Unions have warned the government not to water down its workers' rights bill following Angela Rayner’s departure. But substantial hikes in the minimum wage and employers’ national insurance contributions, coupled with anaemic growth, could imperil all that this Labour government seeks to achieve

Politics

4 d. ago Unions urge Government not to water down workers’ rights Bill

TUC leader Paul Nowak said workers expected Labour to deliver the Employment Rights Bill in full.

Politics

8 d. ago Watersports centre that's helped thousands of children is being forced to close after 13 years

The Welsh Government has issued notice that would require Swansea Watersports to vacate the site

Politics

9 d. ago Thames Water creditors outline £20.5bn investment aims under rescue plans

The London & Valley Water consortium is pledging to ‘fix the foundations’ of Thames Water with the mammoth spending proposal put forward to Ofwat.

Economics

1 week ago UK’s largest lake faces environmental crisis as rescue plans stall

Toxic algae cases in Northern Ireland’s Lough Neagh have tripled since last year, as local fishers’ incomes plummetThe UK’s largest lake, Lough Neagh, is on course to record its worst year of potentially toxic algal blooms to date, as rescue plans remain deadlocked.As a ban on eel-fishing in the lake is extended yet again, with local fishers’ incomes falling by 60% since 2023, there have so far this year been 139 detections of cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) growths recorded at the lough and its surrounding watercourses, according to a government pollution tracker. This is more than treble the number for the same point in 2024 (45). The data covers the 400 sq km freshwater lough, its tributaries, and smaller peripheral bodies of water, including Portmore Lough and Lough Gullion. Continue reading...

Events

2 w. ago The Colorado River is in trouble. Some groups want the government to step up

A group of environmental advocates earlier this year sent a petition to the federal government with a simple, seemingly obvious message: Ensure that water from the imperiled Colorado River is only being delivered for reasonable and beneficial uses

Politics

2 w. ago Thames Water agrees new £122m fine payment plan amid concerns over its future

Campaign group River Action slammed it as a ‘sweetheart deal’

Economics

3 w. ago My Cultural Awakening: Years & Years helped me accept my bisexual identity

Olly Alexander’s stage presence and his band’s lyrics pulled together the two sides of my nature, and accept my desire for menI first discovered Olly Alexander, of Years & Years, by accident. I was teaching English as a foreign language in South Korea, and I showed a video of a BBC Glastonbury roundup on the projector as part of the lesson. I remember glimpsing an incredibly cute blond guy on stage, and being transfixed. I knew immediately that he was gay because the way he moved was unashamedly fluid and graceful. He was doing a pirouette.The clip was so short there wasn’t even a mention of the name of the band, so I had to do some detective work. I Googled something ridiculous like “bleached hair gay man Glastonbury 2015” and trawled through hundreds of search results until I found him. Continue reading...

Politics

4 w. ago Thames Water could be sold to the Chinese after the Labour government puts it into temporary public ownership to 'wipe' much of its £16.8billion debt

Steve Reed, the environment secretary is understood to be making 'active preparations' to essentially nationalise Britain's largest water utility.

Economics