The truly nasty, polluting, party

 Prime minister Rishi Sunak has come out against the expansion of the ultra-low-emission zone (ULEZ) in London and reportedly was only stopped from reversing London mayor Sadiq Khan's measure because he was told it was illegal to interfere. In the background, the Tory spin machine is claiming that ULEZ is merely a Labour stealth tax aimed at augmenting the capital's coffers. 

The cack-handed way in which the expansion was imposed and the ill-feeling that has caused among outer London motorists and small businesses should not obscure the health benefits which will result. The inner London ULEZ which has been in operation for four years has already shown significant reductions in pollutants. After this was extended to include the North and South Circular Roads, a study commissioned by the mayor showed even more dramatic reductions. It is too early to confirm a marked effect on health outcomes in London, but a systematic review of emission-control zones around the world, published by the Lancet, " identified positive effects on air pollution-related outcomes, with reductions in some cardiovascular disease subcategories". There is more here.

Failing to stop air pollution reduction measures, the Westminster government is aiming for better luck in polluting England's waterways. BBC reports:

EU-era water pollution restrictions for housing developments are to be scrapped in a bid to build more homes, the government has announced.

Up to 100,000 new homes could be built by 2030 if rules around building houses near waterways in protected areas are loosened, the government said.

The government argue water pollution from new homes is "very small" and will be offset by £280m of investment.

The spin-doctors have missed the point. More worrying than the quality of outflow from new housing estates is the quantity. Most of the breaches by water companies of the existing regulations have been caused by excessive flows being too much for their infrastructure to handle, leading to untreated sewage being discharged into watercourses. The combination of increased domestic sewage and augmented surface water drainage resulting from hardening of previously absorbing natural surfaces will clearly be disastrous if additional treatment capacity is not provided soon. One trusts that the Welsh government will not follow the Tories down the same path.