Will sewage in the Thames hurt the Tories? The view from Henley and Thame

In the run-up to July's general election, the Guardian video team is touring the UK looking at the issues that matter to voters.
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After swimmers and rowers fell sick from sewage discharges into the River Thames we went to the seat of Henley and Thame to see how environmental concerns rank for voters in a seat that has been Conservative for more than 100 years.
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#Conservatives #Election #Henley #Pollution #RiverThames #Politics

[@arilebon]

'We need to be not too fearful of the pollution of the water' -- did the Tory candidate actually say that?

[@robertlawrence5275]

Typical Tory response….totally delusional

[@WeRemainFaceless]

Ignore your own instincts, ignore your experiences, ignore your concerns. She knows better than you. Aka…Gaslighting at its finest.

[@Albert-nf8jk]

Yep, suck up that crypto speridium, you can always get a doctor's appointment the next day. You're shitting me!

[@protopigeon]

Oh come sweet astoroid of oblivion

[@sarkybugger5009]

I bet she wouldn't drink a glass of it...

[@hugolegge6532]

That's a pretty extraordinary response by the Conservative candidate - basically telling people that their concerns are not worthy of her, and that actually they are the ones causing damage to the river by daring to complain about swimming in shit

[@rwo5402]

Typical Tory blame the victim(s).....

[@geraldbutler5484]

One Tory MP said he swam in shit when he was young and it never did him any harm.

[@Stevies_Precog_Gym_n_Spa420]

That was a shit that cleverly took over a human body ​40 odd years back@@geraldbutler5484

[@Mat-kr1nf]

I just came to say the same thing, I’m just flabbergasted at her arrogance! Brush it under the carpet is basically her message. That’s the Tories all over.🤬

[@theelmonk]

No, that's normal for a conservative.

[@thl205]

EU Red Tape ❌ Great British Tapeworms ✅

[@sarkybugger5009]

Free protein! Delicious and nutritious.

[@kizzmiaz]

Happy British tapeworms free from the tyranny of their EU oppressors.

[@donttrip8282]

What has the EU got to do with it?

[@wokelefty]

​@@donttrip8282the EU regulations, or rather the red tape as brexiteers prefer to call it.

[@donttrip8282]

@@wokelefty they didn't force us to privatise water companies. Conservatives only have themselves to blame, again.

[@davidcolin6519]

My father was a senior civil servant in MAFF (before it became DEFRA). It was during his stint in London that the Thames was finally declared a "clean river". I remember standing on London Bridge with him, looking over the parapet into the waters when he said "You know, there are now trout breeding in the river, and Salmon are now being seen upstream, they'll be breeding in the river soon. And they did. It took a concerted effort to get the river Thames from "The Great Stink" to that point, and over 120 years. It took only 14 years of the current Toriues to reverse the entire process, to the point where there are now parts of the river that are regularly considered "dead". I am so glad I don't have to live in the UK and see this process happening day after day.

[@aderiley6592]

It actually started in the 80's when our national water companies were privatised, allowing corporations and private investors to profit massively on a personal level, and all the while underinvest in infrastructure and accrue huge debts that society is expected to settle. The same thing is happening to our NHS right now. None of the main parties will solve many [if any] of the societal issues we're now facing on account of corruption and greed. Please vote Green for Proportional Representation on July 4th. This FPTP Neo Liberal Vulture Capitalism must stop. It is a social experiment that has failed the majority of society.

[@bingofingers]

Thats bad enough. But they have managed to pollute every waterway and coastal area in the UK.

[@Jack908r]

The single biggest thing I see is that no one is talking about how Britain got played by the tories, farage and boris. You were all conned into brexit, and this is the result. A poorer dirtier, uglier country. Where did the money come for brexit? The big bus going around the country? The ads on radio / tv? Who paid for it? Yet everyone is just acting like this is all just regular politics. It isn't. Britain was conned.

[@davidcolin6519]

@@Jack908r Absolutely agree. And because the Tories were in governement, they were also able to knobble the electoral commission, which was supposed to ensure that the refereendum was held according to the law. The Commision was told to stop the investigation and then had its entire remit rewritten. The obvious culprit, the one who stood to gain by far the most, was Putin. Much of the evidence is circumstantial, but there is enough out in the open to think that a proper investigation would result in a smoking gun, even this long after. However, I don't think that anyone has the stomach for it, especially as it is also very clear that Putin's and the media moguls' interests coincide. Yes, the population was conned, but I don't think that anybody has the stomach to carry out an investigation. And the situation is almost directly mirrored in the USA.

[@caloricphlogistonandthelum4008]

sewage in the Thames IS the Tories!

[@nigellacey559]

Even the toffs hate the tories now

[@plankton50]

Did... the Tory candidate say that... the problem was people talking about the **** in the river?

[@kurremkarmerruk8718]

"If you stay very still and don't show any fear, the sewage can't hurt you." With this level of mendacity/idiocy, Tory MP is the only career option left.

[@RankinMsP]

Food banks on Henley? Wow, well done Tories.

[@ramadamming8498]

The bubble people live in around Henley, or Marlow, is like another planet compared to Slough or Basingstoke, short drives away, the latter two which are falling to bits rapidly, closing down and although Thames sewage is a sign of a collapsing water works system, it is still a luxury concern, compared to the concerns in Slough and Basingstoke. The south east social divide, status and wealth, is almost unbelievable. I am sure people in Henley will be devastated if the Regatta is cancelled - but when was the last time they went down Slough high street with open eyes?

[@erertertert44]

lol when the most common concern that conservative politician could come up with for henley was potholes you know its posh haha, actually laughable when you compare to issues in the north and even in poorer areas of the same county!

[@davidbeckham]

If the same campaign points from Slough were put forward in Henley it wouldn't make sense. The issues around Henley and Shiplake can't reflect Conisborough and Mosside, and wouldn't win either party votes.

[@rwo5402]

In the end it doesn't matter what people complain about as long as they are open minded enough to blame the right party for it and stop voting for that party. Every Tory less in parliament is a win for the country.

[@RoofLight00]

I work in Slough and it is a whole world away from that posh place. The poverty and crime is off the charts. Slough did used to be quite a nice place about 30 years ago, now it’s riven by petty crime, drugs, unemployment and poverty. Those people in Henley live in a complete bubble to the rest of us. I’d imagine the London and Slough area criminals eye that place as a potential goldmine for their activities.

[@ramadamming8498]

@@RoofLight00 Yep, they are light years apart. When I saw Slough not long ago, all I could see was boarded up buildings, abandoned industrial land, bad graffiti, bust up pavements and Slavic speakers stumbling around in slippers and dressing gown at 4 in the afternoon.

[@linceed]

Including the "Shit-- sorry, slur-- excrement..." was brilliant

[@HuplesCat]

Undecided or they hate Tories? The Tories just lie and lie

[@stackhat8624]

Guess they'll just vote Lib Dems?

[@ay2deet578]

Discussing the rabid dog in my living room is really undermining the status of my house.

[@ArchimedesWoo]

Ah! The wonders of privatisation. ;-(

[@chrisnewman7281]

I thought the purpose of sewage system was to keep human safe and the environment not to just dump it back into the environment so third world

[@WH-hi5ew]

You'd have thought so. But it's cheaper to dump it and pay a bit of fine - so the water companies do that instead.

[@stevemcgowen]

They privatized sewer and water so waste goes into rivers now.

[@richardjohnson5529]

what do we want tories out when do we want it 4th July.

[@In_Paradiso58]

ASAP...

[@huwdavies-tallon3305]

For blue Labour fantastic

[@adama8570]

Education, education, education! The Tory sense of hygiene is victorian or worse!

[@malk6277]

The Greens candidate spoke so well.

[@markshaz8691]

Literally can’t believe the Tory candidate actually said that.

[@Rosbif06600]

I hope the people vote tactically. It's a shame for parties like the Greens but the Tories must be removed. Hopefully, there will be PR in the future giving smaller parties a vote.

[@chrischarman8707]

Don’t worry we will.

[@bobbler42]

"Don't worry about that floating turd!" Please.

[@battles423]

Food poverty…. Tory answers……just eat less

[@alan_davis]

Or "I spoke to a grocer and he was very concerned that people talking about not being able to afford food would affect his business..." Shameful, either way.

[@johannesnicolaas]

Of course not, they wallow in sh*t very day.

[@jonathanjayes]

The farrow and ball paint shop in the opening shot is such a giveaway to the type of area lol!

[@andrewnorth4857]

Yes, don't worry about the pollution. The main thing is Chinese investors need a return on their money and British households need to fund it through massive water bill increases. Yay Tories!

[@chrischarman8707]

Actually they tend to be Australian and Canadian investors.

[@andrewnorth4857]

I stand partially corrected. Thames water is 8.7% owned by Chinese investors.

[@smiththewright]

Thank you The Guardian!

[@george52066]

These people clearly know that things need to change, eg cleaning up the Thames, but guarantee that they’ll not want to pay the tax for it. People need to understand, if we want public services, infrastructure, regulation ect to work and be effective we’ve got to pay the tax. Tax shouldn’t be ideological!

[@katrinabryce]

1/3 of our water bills goes to pay interest on loans that were used to pay dividends to shareholders. If that money had instead been invested in the water infrastructure like it was supposed to, then we wouldn't be having these problems.

[@allergy5634]

We pay plenty in taxation. It’s all going to shareholders. We pay Nordic tax rates for American quality of government services.

[@canemore1]

@george52066 it's not a matter of tax on this one, it's a matter of greed and corruption. The companies are private so why should taxes be used? They have had our monies for decades they just chose to give the money away and get rich and fat. Let's face the truth here, Thachers privatisation and the tories have wreaked the country. It's a shithole . But labour isn't the answer either. End privatised utilities and fix the country before it's too late

[@user-kf5mn5vn3t]

Back in the late 60s we often went to Henley camping and would spend all day at and in the river with no affects at all.

[@evan]

They’re so articulate about everything; it’s so satisfying

[@defaultpanic]

Jo Robb for PM. It's a shame the best candidates are in selfless parties, it's a conundrum that selfish Tory policy has made impossible to overcome

[@jb-zr4ez]

I thought the nitrogen from sewage killed off fish and other aquatic life? It promotes the spread of weed and algae as well which gradually affects the oxygen levels in the water. I don't understand why water isn't a political issue. It's a basic requirement of all life on Earth isn't it?

[@ImTheDudeMan471]

At 0:25 that's a 1962 MGA 1600 Special (disc front brakes but not a twin cam).

[@JaywalkingTheWorld]

Great reporting.

[@jamesbendle4235]

That Australian woman is so articulate and a beautiful person in every way - inside and out.

[@jeshkam]

Especially out. 🍑

[@murphyandmurphybrand]

I’m fairly sure I have a bad stomach from swimming in the river in Oxfordshire

[@timminsmark]

Swimming in raw sewage is nothing to worry about 😂😂😂

[@kageshimunamae]

Frank Drebin, possibly 🙃

[@jeshkam]

​@@kageshimunamaeI love it!

[@123boat]

When the Tory party shits in its own back yard 🤔Priceless 😂

[@stoneagepig3768]

Imagine the damage to the poorer communities if they're treating the toffs play area like this.I I don't need to imagine because I live in one and it's genuinely heart breaking to have to witness what I do now on a daily basis. In 10 years it's gone from a working class comunity to a slum, plagued by drugs, violence and utter depravity. The police don't patrol because there aren't enough officers and don't even always turn up when called and yet we're paying more and more year after year. The locals of places like Henley have no real idea who are really suffering the costs of the disgusting actions of the Tories.

[@123boat]

@@stoneagepig3768 Well said 👍👏👏👏

[@DatFwad]

I absolutely hate the Conservatives I will never ever vote for them again for the rest of my entire life.

[@mogulmeanings5023]

very tory to say "we need to not be fearful of pollution"

[@cathiewood7107]

Extraordinary comment from the Tory candidate - people shouldn't be too fearful of the pollution in the river!!!

[@kenhunt5153]

With the decline of newspapers in the States, especially The Washington Post, The Guardian becomes more important.

[@Iazzaboyce]

When you know how to cool down the planet, but can't knock a 1"x1" stake into the ground - you've had too much 'education'....

[@unusedsub3003]

I’m watching this as I’m on 🚽😖

[@alan_davis]

Hold a bit in, for the sake of our rivers!!

[@fran-js8ve]

In Europe water companies are provate but they have rules.

[@faithlesshound5621]

Once sewage in the river has made you ill, why would you go swimming in it again? One woman said it had made her ill FOUR TIMES! I understand that Henley is an iconic place for boating, but it would be like Ulster Unionists walking across a motorway because it had been constructed on their traditional Orange marching route.

[@felixdawson8497]

If you swim every day then four times might be only once a year or less often. Sure they wish they weren't getting ill but they don't want to give up their hobby ! Just like if a sports player gets injured playing their game. Sucks, but they still want to play!

[@MC-kt8xb]

Simple really vote Tory, get poo. Simple as A,B,C - Anyone But Conservative

[@captaingoose9872]

Why doesn't The Guardian do some reporting in the red wall?

[@josephturner7569]

I learned to swim there.

[@richardmerriman4347]

That's fine,out up the bills and carry on paying share holders dividends.Buying shares is like gambling,So if you take that risk you should also be prepared to lose sometime

[@expressoevangelism80]

The water the water will only affect the members of Parliament if they open the windows at high tide.

[@silverhooligan1256]

Well said, that the condition of the Thames is analogous to the crumbling of the UK.

[@Ex-P.F.C_Wintergreen]

Absolutely, thats why we all need to vote Reform - thanks The Guardian

[@gorgu08]

I left the UK in 2001, the place was pumping, people seemed to have money in their pocket and everyone worked hard and enjoyed themselves at the weekend, it is a travesty what the Tories did to the UK, Osborne and Cameron took a sledgehammer to the progress that had been made since Thatcher through to Brown

[@fran-js8ve]

Another Brexit benefit. No need to follow clean water rules.

[@tobyalan8874]

Who have they voted for in the past? The Tory candidate reminds me of the mayor in Jaws. 😅

[@_robustus_]

As a yank, can someone tell me historically what has been the “conventional wisdom” regarding swimming the Thames through the ages? I thought that the world over had a general belief that what ever one dumps is for those downstream to worry about. And what is dumped upstream is “magically” or naturally cleaned before it reaches us.

[@kingofrivia1248]

I dont understand why clean water is a political issue.

[@moniqueodile]

It’s amazing to see these ladies enjoying a swim in pooh!…..

[@Alex-pr6zv]

Contrary to what your local Conservative Party MP might tell you, the EU directive regulating the protection of inland surface waters, coastal waters and groundwater more or less ceased to apply after Brexit came into effect.

[@daviecrocket9160]

They act like this is a new phenomenon. The poor have dealt with all this for donkeys years.

[@TheKeirsunishi]

Green would have my vote if they weren't so afraid of nuclear power

[@getheroutofthetruck]

Henley-in-Sewage

[@fiddlersthree8463]

Not if they don't drink it.

[@Bod8998]

Poor things

[@handbanana4899]

After the Tories remained in power whilst the consequences of Brexit were still being felt, I lost hope about anything hurting them until the current elections. That said if sewage in the Thames didn't hurt the Tories already, I imagine an actual Tory candidate telling people not to just deal with it did.

[@thedon8772]

And we left the EU for this shit?!!!

[@chrischarman8707]

Tbfair henley and thame voted 57% remain.

[@davidholgate123]

Have you not noticed farmers across the EU going on the rampage across the EU, making UK protests look like picnics... Or crime going up in places in the EU faster than the UK... Or the UK getting record investment in startups and tech since Brexit, with more billions in investment in tech and startups than the rest of the EU countries put together!?... I suppose Brexit is the main reason for all of those points as well lol... I've just been to Belfast and Dublin and Belfast would have to be completely bonkers to want to join the EU... I highly recommend anyone wanting to know the difference and why nobody should want to be in the EU to visit Belfast and then Dublin!... The EU eurocrats should be put in jail for what they've done to Dublin and other EU cities!

[@larsbjrnson3101]

​@@davidholgate123Farmers have always protested about something as long as I can remember. Difference is farmers in UK moan and just go bust. Lol

[@davidholgate123]

@@larsbjrnson3101 Between 2005 and 2020, the number of farms in the EU decreased by almost 40%, forcing approximately 5.3 million farmers out of business, "lol' 😉 In the last 4 years, it's got even worse!... No wonder farmers across the EU are aggressively and even violent rampaging at times across the EU state, making the UK farmer's little peaceful protests look like picnics in comparison!

[@yuna-1971]

No it was due to …let me think, all those laws that Brexiteers couldn’t name but didn’t like, and immigration something something eu migrants. Now they got MORE immigration with something something Albanians and Afganistanis!😂 Don’t forget: “Taking back control of our borders”

[@theelmonk]

Sewage in the thames hurts everyone. Tories aren't immune.

[@onx99]

The Toffs of London.

[@user-pm2yo8lv1s]

That sums up the tories for me that woman was totally oblivious to the real concerns of real people. Thames water & the tories are literally full of shit.

[@rayesgoga280]

1:36 5:38

[@anonymmus2]

The pollution in the rivers is a shame

[@MyScubasteve]

And it will be the public purse which pays for the upgraded system if you take it away from the private sector. Thats why it was all farmed out to the private sector in the first place. The works at Henley are inadequate every one knows it.

[@swanronson173]

The private sector aren't bringing us upgrades for free out of the goodness of their hearts though are they? They get their money from the customers, i.e. the public, and not only charge us the cost of the service and upgrades, they take billions more in dividends for shareholders. The public are paying one way or the other, but under public ownership we wouldn't have to pay out dividends and would have the option of using that money to reduce bills or invest more into improvements. The private sector should not be operating monopolies for essential services.

[@davidbeckham]

Maybe stop swimming around Shiplake for a little bit

[@underarmbowlingincidentof1981]

"It's not a political concern"??? alrighty then

[@scapingby]

why does the UK green party attract Australians?

[@Leon-lt5gv]

I wouldn't swim in our rivers ' i 'l come out glowing in the dark ' or grow another arm or foot 🤢☠️

[@JaywalkingTheWorld]

Why is everything shot at waist-level, looking at everyone's noses?

[@soton5teve]

Lib dems up 5 in last poll

[@H4NDCRAFTED]

What a sauce

[@chrisnewman7281]

Maybe there’ll be some good to come out of the selection they’ll be people campaigning on grassroots issues environment

[@matthewclifton2510]

Not a political question??! How out of touch can you be? Privatisation of the water companies was and remains Tory party policy. The uselessness of Thames Water - what has the government done to improve anything?

[@stewartboughtflower6261]

That is what I came here to say.

[@stonehengemaca]

Ah yes, how the middle class struggles with austerity. Imagine how desperate the working class is and the poor. They want working services. They need money for food, rent, energy. They'd love to have concerns about a dirty swan.

[@BodybuildingSteve]

I just find voting for the greens so hard when they are completely backwards stance on nuclear energy, it should be their number 1 priority

[@witchkingofa]

Green party candidate is hot

[@bcgraham3512]

It doesn't matter if the Tory candidate geuinely loves the river or not. When she gets to Westminster she will have to toe the Party line, or lose the whip. What matters is Tory party POLICY, and we can all see what that is - fill the pockets of the captains of industry, help the rich get richer, and keep power at all costs so that this never changes.

[@crazyblock9093]

quintessential Liberal Democrat target seat

[@murphyandmurphybrand]

If you want action, you need to tactical vote! Voting green isn’t go ing to change anything in a first past the post system

[@ionlyfearphobophobia]

You're saying we should vote Reform since they actually have Proportional Representation as one of their polices?

[@BigLeek-ig3sb]

I like a little sewage on my swans

[@ComradeCatpurrnicus]

Those ladies are swimming in water they know has sewage in it... why? Spend that time mobilizing around someone who will fix the sewage instead of just shortening your life by knowingly swimming in something that polluted.

[@stevemcgowen]

You can get hepatitis swimming in the UK.

[@baynesstreetblues]

An observation from the other side of the world 🇦🇺 - from 1:38 to 2:04 there is a clear and articulate capture of all the essential services that have ‘gone down the tube’ after 14 years of Tory mismanagement. Kudos to the Greens candidate, Jo Robb. I thought that the Mayor of Henley was surprisingly outspoken too in apportioning responsibility for the pollution of England’s much loved, premier river.

[@timhibbart5827]

Water quality has been an issue for over 20yrs remember David Wallaim charity swim, only now brought up to bash tories with, wonder if immigration is a factor don't hear that, just another part of infrastructure put under pressure.

[@tomgraham6071]

So, I was just wondering, why do you swim in it? I'm with you otherwise.

[@murphyandmurphybrand]

Why do people run in London?

[@tomgraham6071]

@@murphyandmurphybrand you have to breathe the air. You don't have to swim in shite. Granted, you shouldn't have to

[@kizzmiaz]

Tories and water company executives should be forced to swim in the rivers they've polluted... perhaps shareholders too.

[@turquoiseowl]

The irony is India is building coal powerstations by the dozen to pull themselves out of this kind of mire.

[@christianeduardo1]

At least the EU can’t be blamed for it…

[@danieldonaldson8634]

interesting question, but it isn’t just the Tories offering watered-down shit

[@abdullahnduka5830]

You can tell she is a tory. Just lies

[@dogwithwigwamz.7320]

Before the 2016 Referendum I`d never ceased to vote in any General Election. Since June of 2016 I`ve never voted in any GE and never will again. We are now a captive audience, the vast majority of us hardly free to escape this rapidly sinking bucket of a country. Many people say to me that if I don`t vote then I have no cause to complain. Listen : I`m a taxpayer. Whom should I vote for when all the candidates before me are equally useless ? Or mutually evil ? In want of a mandate being equally `criminal ?`

[@chrischarman8707]

By not voting you’ve silenced yourself.

[@0ctatr0n]

Get all your sewage converted into activated carbon and sell it as sand for concrete or filter by using a process called hydrothermal decarbonisation invented by some German guy back around WW2.