Lib Dem leader to take part in Edinburgh beach clean

On Friday, Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey will visit Portobello beach, Edinburgh where he will take part in a beach clean with campaigners Surfers Against Sewage.

He will be joined by Edinburgh Northern candidate Sanne Dijkstra-Downie and Edinburgh North Eastern candidate Alissa Owens.

Ed Davey will say:

“I’m delighted to be back in Edinburgh.

“Our party has been at the forefront of fighting for clean rivers and beaches up and down the UK.

“We’ve held failing regulators and water companies to account. We defeated hosts of Conservative MPs because they wouldn’t lift a finger to stand up for clean water and people’s beloved beauty spots.

“In Scotland, there were more than 24,000 sewage dumps recorded in 2024, but the difference is that unlike England, Scotland still only monitors a fraction of the sites where sewage is dumped so the true picture is likely even worse.

“SNP ministers don’t seem to care that the government-owned water company dumps millions of litres of sewage throughout our rivers, lochs and beaches.

“If the SNP continue to act as apologists for the dumping of waste in our water, then in Edinburgh and across Scotland they will meet the same fate as the Conservatives.

“In Scotland we want to see a new Clean Water Act to take the sewage scandal seriously, track down and report every sewage dump, and replace outdated standards with modern and enforceable regulation.

“In many constituencies we are on the verge of winning against the SNP but wherever you are, every vote for the Scottish Liberal Democrats on the second peach ballot will deliver change with fairness at its heart.”