Former punk singer turned environmental campaigner Feargal Sharkey has met with Labour's parliamentary candidate to talk about water pollution in Falmouth.

Truro and Falmouth Labour & Cooperative Parliamentary candidate, Councillor Jayne Kirkham, was able to discuss pollution in Cornwall’s rivers and seas with Feargal Sharkey at last week's Labour conference.

Mr Sharkey, former singer with The Undertones, was guest speaker at the event in Birmingham. Sharkey, former head of UK Music, is a lifelong fly fisherman and has campaigned against the pollution of British rivers (particularly chalk streams) and the regulations of the water industry which impact British water resources.

Speaking from the rostrum, said: “As a direct result of the water industry’s profiteering, there’s not a single river in England that achieves good overall environmental health – every single river is polluted and one of the largest sources of that pollution? The water industry.”

Labour’s shadow environment secretary, Jim McMahon outlined how the party would “clean-up” the water system after having been introduced on stage by the former singer, turned environment campaigner.

Jayne welcomed the pledge to introduce a legally binding target to end 90% of sewage discharges by 2030 and stronger sanctions and fines for bosses and companies who fail to do so.

“With Labour there will be change with mandatory monitors on all sewage outlets and automatic fines for every sewage discharge.” she said.

“Our beaches and rivers in Cornwall are vital for our health, ecosystems and economy. Labour’s clean-up campaign and greener mission can’t come soon enough.”

She has made a YouTube video about pollution which you can watch HERE

This Saturday October 8 a protest against continuing sewage spills from an outflow pipe is due to take place on Gyllyngvase Beach. At 11am, environmental campaigners, local residents, beach users and businesses and local politicians are going to protest South West Water's continuing pollution of Gyllyngvase Beach.

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Falmouth and Truro MP Tory MP Cherilyn Mackrory says the Government has introduced some of the strictest ever targets for water companies and says she is "robustly" supporting communities and businesses to highlight their concerns.

"Standards that fall below that of which we should expect on beaches and in waterways are now able to be addressed with these targets in mind," she has said. 

She says she will also be visiting other areas with known overflow problems, and is urging people get in touch at cherilyn.mackrory.mp@parliament.uk to let her know of any sites that she might not be aware of.