‘Labour Offers No Clear Narrative’

In the Shark-Infested Waters of Politics, Reform Is Circling

Labour MP Clive Lewis – who recently introduced the unsuccessful Water Bill calling for the mutualisation of water companies that cause consistent environmental damage – explains why he believes his own party’s Government is falling far short of the transformation the UK’s public services require

Politics rarely delivers genuine surprises. But, every so often, something unexpected upends the landscape. Like a far-right party helmed by a former banker and a property tycoon demanding the public ownership of water.

Reform UK, the self-styled defender of free markets and small government, has said it wants to strip private companies of their control over water. At first glance, it appears to be ideological whiplash, but take a step back and the logic emerges.

This isn’t about principle, it’s about power. Reform isn’t trying to build a coherent ideology – it is hijacking public outrage. Its strategy is effective: identify pressure points, seize upon popular frustrations, and market the party as the ‘voice of common sense’.

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