John Baron MP steps back in time and into WaterAid’s Victorian street to support call for taps and toilets for all

John at the event

MP supports Wateraid campaign

John Baron MP, stepped back in time this week to take a walk down WaterAid’s Victorian street, experiencing the sights and smells of an era when open sewage ran through our roads and rivers, to mark 150 years of Britain’s modern sewers.

The international charity invited parliamentarians to meet characters from Victorian times to discover what life was like during the Great Stink of 1858 to highlight its call for the UK Government to lead the way in ending the global water and sanitation crisis. Mr Baron also met some of the 115, 056 supporters who signed WaterAid’s ‘Make it Happen’ petition, who came from across the country to discuss the importance of ensuring everyone everywhere has clean water to drink and somewhere safe to go to the toilet.

John said:

“History shows investment in water and sanitation had a huge impact on our health and development, and that these are key to achieving a healthier and more prosperous world.”

“As we develop the Sustainable Development Goals for addressing global development, it is clear that water and sanitation must play a central role. As the economy and International Aid budget grows, we need to direct more funding toward achieving these goals.”

WaterAid Chief Executive Barbara Frost presented the ‘Make it Happen’ petition to Baroness Verma, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for International Development.

Barbara said:

“Our own history shows how water and sanitation can transform a nation, helping to create a healthier and more prosperous society.

“Today, 650 million people across the world still lack access to clean water and 2.3 billion have nowhere safe to go to the toilet. Life in a densely populated slum bears far too close a resemblance to UK cities in the 1800s, representing a real and growing threat to global health and stability. Diarrhoea caused by unsafe water and poor sanitation is the second biggest killer of under-fives worldwide, claiming the lives of 1,400 children every single day.[i]

“The stink may be a bit further from Westminster now; but that’s no reason not to act. With the right political will, we can solve the global water and sanitation crisis. This year we have a unique chance to right this wrong as world leaders agree the new Sustainable Development Goals to eradicate poverty over the next 15 years. Only with investment in sanitation can we achieve a safe and secure future for everyone everywhere.”