Alison Bennett's Monday Mail - Sewage, polls and babies

Welcome to Monday Mail for 01 April 2024, as I share a few of the things that I have been doing and thinking about in the last week, including sewage in our rivers, the latest polls and birth rates.

Sewage in our rivers

Water companies in England have faced a barrage of criticism as data revealed raw sewage was discharged for more than 3.6m hours into rivers and seas last year in a 105% increase on the previous 12 months.

You can look up how polluted our Mid Sussex waterways are by using this postcode search that the Guardian has published.

With Southern Water’s discharges having more than doubled, the local story was picked up by the Sussex Express too.

What if the polls are right?

It is well documented that the Conservatives are trailing in the polls and nothing the prime minister does seems to be able to shift it. History would teach us that the polls will narrow, however this Conservative Home article asks the question: what happens if the polls are right.

 
Is the world running out of babies?

The most interesting thing I listened to this week was an episode of the News Agents podcast about declining birth rates, not just in the UK but globally. It introduced me to some things about which I knew very little before. Recommended.

Best wishes,

Cllr Alison Bennett
Prospective Parliamentary Candidate
Mid Sussex Liberal Democrats

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