NEWLY elected Glastonbury and Somerton MP Sarah Dyke has called for change following the arrival of the new government and says the Conservatives were at fault for long NHS waiting times and raw sewage pollution.

Responding to the King’s Speech, the Liberal Democrat MP said: “I welcome legislation to start tackling the crisis in our mental health services and prevent filthy raw sewage being dumped into our precious rivers.”

According to Environment Agency data, last year was the worst for sewage spills since records began. Sewage was discharged at an alarming record of 3.6 million hours across England in 2023.

The number of sewage discharges has jumped 54 per cent in the space of a year, with over 464,092 sewage spills in 2023, compared to 301,291sewage spills in 2022.

Back in March, the Labour Party revealed they planned to tackle sewage spills in UK rivers and seas. Labour is set to clamp down on water bosses, who they believe is largely responsible due to the Conservative party ‘turning a blind eye’.

Since the last election, water bosses across the UK have awarded themselves over £25 million in bonuses.

Sarah Dyke MP was talking to people in Glastonbury and Somerton before the election, with a lot of people saying they struggled to get a doctor’s appointment.

She said: “For years the Conservative Party completely neglected local health services in Glastonbury and Somerton.

“Throughout the election campaign, constituents told me how difficult it was to get an appointment with a GP, how it’s impossible to find a dentist and how they are worried about the future of their community pharmacy.

“We must see action on better access to GPs and NHS dentists, and a fairer deal for community pharmacies following the King’s Speech.

“People in Glastonbury and Somerton just can’t wait anymore.”