Taxpayer cash must not be used to bail out Thames Water, says Feargal Sharkey

Campaigner says firm should be brought under public control using powers in original privatisation legislation

Thames Water should be brought under public control via the powers of a final enforcement order available to ministers in the legislation that privatised the industry three decades ago, the water campaigner Feargal Sharkey has said.

Sharkey said no taxpayers’ money should be spent “bailing out” Thames Water as crisis talks with ministers, the regulator, Ofwat, and the water company continued.