Caroline Brice

Caroline Brice

Water row

In April 2026, row has erupted between a Bury MP and a group of campaigners after a petition was handed to both the borough's MPs calling for the water industry to be brought back into public ownership.

Members of Bury Trades Council, a group which brings together local trade union members on workplace and community issues, delivered the petition to MP James Frith and the office of Christian Wakeford.

They believe that, if the water industry were to be brought back into public ownership, it would lead to cheaper bills and cleaner rivers.

The trades council campaign is partly focused on cleaning up the River Irwell, and has previously held two public meetings in Radcliffe and Prestwich.

Recently-elected Green Party MP Hannah Spencer was one of the speakers in Prestwich last year, when she was a councillor.

Dan Ross, Bury Trades Council secretary, said: "Local people have shown a great appetite to sign our petition, calling on the Government to take water companies back into public ownership.

"The lack of investment has led to levels of pollution in rivers that are a calamity for wildlife and prevent the public from enjoying rivers safely.

"We met James Frith MP at his office and shared our concerns around the table. He is keen to support our work to clean the Irwell and promised to discuss residents' concerns with the government's water minister.

"However, our requests to meet Christian Wakeford MP appeared to fall on deaf ears. We stood outside his silent office and pushed the petition through the closed door. We're waiting to see if we get a response."