As Michael Gove summoned water companies to a meeting to discuss continued leaks and potential hosepipe bans, Robert Colvile joined Emily Maitlis to debate if the water corporations should be renationalised.
Debating Faiza Sheehan, Robert highlighted the cost of such a step would be over £80bn and require additional borrowing – as calculated by the Centre for Policy Studies in ‘The Cost of Nationalisation’.
Robert also noted that water privatisation was done precisely because investments were not being made in maintaining infrastruture and since privatisation leaks were down by over a third.
Watch the full episode on the BBC website. Robert’s statement on the reduction in leaks was the subject of a BBC Reality Check (and passed!).
‘The Cost of Nationalisation’ can be downloaded from the CPS website.
Date Added: Tuesday 31st July 2018
