2026: Week 33 - Hosepipe Ban, Water Leaks and Bluetongue
It’s been another week of high temperatures and a fifth heatwave, as well as a hosepipe ban and wildfires in Devon, which is all deeply worrying.
The Government issued an Emergency Alert about the risk of wildfires, and while I welcome Andy Burnham’s temporary ban on disposable barbecues, it is a move that could have been made as the grass first turned so brown and tinder-like.
Speaking of climate, I am pleased to see that the petition calling for a National Emergency Briefing on climate and nature risks has now reached enough signatures to be considered for a debate in Parliament. Having attended many screenings around the constituency, and witnessed the strength of support locally, I am sure this will be welcome news.
And on water supply, this week I spoke to BBC Radio Devon about South West Water and the fact that in 2024/25 they lost 107.8 million litres of water per day due to leaks. These figures prove what many have known for a long time, South West Water have been negligent in their handling of our water infrastructure for far too long. They should be more urgently fixing all the leaky infrastructure, rather than relying on imposing a hosepipe ban on their customers. I also spoke about how a model of mutual ownership would mean infrastructure investment is a priority for water companies, with bills reinvested into stopping leaks and preventing sewage dumping.
In other news, it is very concerning to see the recent outbreak of Bluetongue, with most cases being here in Devon. It’s been a massive rise this year and my sympathy goes to the farmers whose animals are infected by the midges. The Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs have assured me that they are taking this very seriously. The necessary vaccines have been in short supply, but DEFRA have taken steps to get more.
It’s fantastic to see the sheer number of people who share my concerns about Palantir and want to keep them out of our wonderful NHS. I’ve just seen footage of a group all dressed as Gandalf from the Lord of the Rings protesting about Palantir’s boss! (more details on my Facebook page)
And the campaign isn’t over; I have written to Yvette Cooper about reviewing the NHS contract prior to any renewal in spring next year. I’ll let you know what she says. If you haven’t heard of Palantir, there is an article on my website along with a petition to get them out of the NHS if you share my concerns.
Finally, as we head into the last week of recess, I again want to thank everyone who has come to my summer safari pop up surgeries and to thank all the venues that have hosted me. It has been great to speak to so many people across the constituency, and we still have a few more weeks of touring and we would be delighted to see you.
Please check out Facebook or my website www.martinwrigley.co.uk for more details.