Dirty waters: how the Environment Agency lost its way – podcast
Having created a watchdog for the environment, the government took its teeth out and muzzled it. Can public outrage rouse the Environment Agency to action? By Hettie O’Brien
Debt, sewage and dividends: the rising tide of Thames Water’s troubles
In the second part of our focus on the water industry, we chart the decline of one of the UK’s major utility companies, now on the brink of restructuring or renationalisation
Cheap sales, debt and foreign takeovers: how privatisation changed the water industry
Familiar concerns over bosses’ pay, prices and borrowing emerged in the utilities’ early years in private hands, with UK dubbed the ‘dirty man of Europe’
June 2024
Observer letters
Time for the Tories to face up to the damage they have done
Level the playing field? Many state schools don’t have any left
The long read
Dirty waters: how the Environment Agency lost its way
The Guardian view on water privatisation: end an experiment that has failed
May 2024
How can a child in care cost £281,000 a year? Ask the wealth funds that have councils over a barrel
George Monbiot
‘Someone is going to die’: MPs warned of E coli risk to swimmers in English waters
Labour should look to Switzerland and Finland for Great British Railways
Keir Starmer must flush away the stinking turd of Thatcher’s water privatisation
April 2024
Starmer’s rail plans must only be the start. It’s full renationalisation that Britain needs
Tom Haines-Doran
The Guardian view on Labour and rail renationalisation: a sensible plan that passengers need
I’m 17 and haven’t seen a dentist for four years. This is life in England’s NHS dental deserts
Beth Riding
The stupidity that is letting Royal Mail fail
March 2024
The Observer view: there is still a way to save Thames Water from financial oblivion
The formation of a company solely dedicated to providing cheap, clean water is the best way out of this debacle
What now for Thames Water as investors turn off the taps?
With £500m of emergency funding withdrawn, calls are growing for the stricken company to be taken into public ownership
Thames Water on road to state rescue amid investor standoff with Ofwat
England’s ludicrous experiment in privatised water is coming to a messy end
Adam Almeida
Sweden is joining Nato, but it’s hopelessly unprepared for war
