Campaigners Call Labour's New Water Customer Powers a 'Stitch-Up'

Campaigners have described new powers intended to let water customers hold companies to account as a “stitch-up,” after documents revealed that water firms had been advising on how the scheme would be implemented, according to an exclusive report by The Guardian.

The initiative, introduced by the Labour government, is being developed through the Consumer Council for Water (CCW), which is creating what the government has called “powerful consumer panels.” These panels are intended to allow members of the public to question executives at their local water company and seek redress for problems including sewage discharges and other water company failures in England and Wales.

According to the report, documents obtained show that water companies themselves have been involved in advising on how the accountability mechanism should be designed and put into practice. Campaigners cited by The Guardian argue that this involvement undermines the independence and credibility of the new consumer panels, given that the same companies the panels are meant to scrutinize have had a role in shaping how that scrutiny will function.

The Guardian's report does not specify further details on the campaigners' identities or additional comment from the government, CCW, or the water industry regarding the claims. This article is based on the reporting published by The Guardian on 7 September 2026.