Sagal Abdi-Wali says she is ‘putting Thames Water on notice’ after recent floods in Kentish Town

Labour’s by-election candidate Sagal Abdi-Wali has come out with tough talk about taking Thames Water into public ownership, even though the new prime minister Andy Burnham has so far stalled on the idea.

She filmed a campaign video in Kentish Town, which has been hit by a series of floods from burst water mains, and said she was putting the water provider “on notice”.

The idea of stripping Thames Water of its control has grown in public popularity, but when asked whether she thought it was likely to happen, her campaign team said she could not comment on the “direction of travel”.

Two leaks this month have already caused disruption on Kentish Town Road, with shops having to bail out water and use sandbags for protection.

They were not isolated incidents in north London, as our front page story about people’s safety fears across the borough reveals today (Thursday).

In her campaign video, Ms Abdi-Wali, the leader of Camden Council for the past three months, said: “For too long, residents and businesses have suffered from an appalling service, while we’ve seen our bills going up and up and up.”

She said in her role as council leader she had deployed teams to join the clean-up operations, claiming Thames Water “didn’t step up”, adding: “I’m demanding Thames Water compensates local businesses and that’s why I back public ownership of Thames Water to ensure that money we pay on our bills goes on upgrading the infrastructure and not making shareholders richer.”

Sir Keir Starmer had pledged a public ownership plan before becoming prime minister, but the switch was not started during his time as prime minister.

His successor, Mr Burnham, vowed to “reverse Thatcherism” with a similar ambition, but his government now reportedly believe it could be too costly.

Briefings to national newspapers, including The Times, also warned of legal risks.

The to and fro has led to questions about the strength of Ms Abdi-Wali’s by-election claims and what would genuinely be a realistic outcome from her “putting them on notice”.

Another flood in Kentish Town Road earlier this month

The New Journal reported last week how some residents in Kentish Town were considering a boycott of bills until the street floods were resolved.

The Green challenger in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election, Zack Polanski, said: “The Thames Water rip-off has gone on for long enough and local residents are being driven to taking collective action in desperation. The Labour government with its massive majority can do something about this if it chooses to put people before profit. Labour must stop tinkering and nationalise Thames Water straight away.”

A Thames Water spokesperson said last week: “No dividend has been paid to Thames Water shareholders for the past two years and all our profits are being reinvested in the business, with vital revenue from customer bills helping to fund the biggest upgrade to Thames Water’s network in 150 years.”

How likely does Sagal Abdi-Wali think it is that the Labour government will take water supply into public ownership?

WITH council leader Sagal Abdi-Wali telling residents that she has put Thames Water “on notice”, we asked her why Labour had not already begun the process of transferring the water supply to public ownership, and why new prime minister Andy Burnham appeared to be ruling it out due to costs and legal risks.

She replied: “The current situation is simply unacceptable. Camden residents and our local services continually foot the bill for Thames Water’s failings. If I’m elected as local MP, I will hold Thames Water to account.

“I will push them to compensate our local traders whose businesses were wrecked by the recent floods. And I am calling for public ownership to ensure that bill-payers’ money goes toward upgrading infrastructure rather than into the pockets of shareholders.”

We suggested this did not answer the question as to why Labour had not already moved on the issue and that residents would want her personal opinion. Her campaign said she would not provide further comment and that she could not speak on behalf of the government.

The New Journal had not asked her to speak on behalf of the government.