River pollution becomes key issue in English local elections

Discharge of raw sewage is mainstream concern in first local elections since Guardian revealed scale of problem

River pollution has become a leading issue on doorsteps during the countdown to the local elections on Thursday.

Thousands of seats are being contested across England, the largest number since 2019 when the Conservatives lost control of several councils. These are the first local elections since the Guardian revealed the hidden scandal of the scale of raw sewage pollution in rivers, pushing the issue into the mainstream political debate.