February 15, 2023 11.30 am This story is over 23 months old

Extinction Rebellion plaque attacking Karl McCartney taken down

Gone within a day of being reported

A blue plaque accusing Lincoln MP Karl McCartney of voting to allow sewage to pollute rivers has been removed.

Extinction Rebellion glued it next to a bridge over the River Witham on the Brayford.

It disappeared less than 24 hours after the Lincolnite first reported it, although no one’s claimed responsibility yet.

The sign read: “Karl McCartney MP voted to block a law requiring water companies to dump less raw sewage in our waterways and seas (20 October 2021).”

Extinction Rebellion say there were thousands of sewage spills in Lincolnshire rivers in 2020, including 126 in Sincil Bank.

The Lincoln MP hasn’t commented on the mocking sign, but has previously called the claim “deliberate misinformation”.

The signs were designed to look like the English Heritage’s scheme to commemorate historical buildings and figures.

The plaque had previously been installed next to the River Witham on the Brayford | Photo: LDRS/The Lincolnite

Rosemary Robinson of Extinction Rebellion Lincoln, who were behind the sign, said: “People can’t believe how much sewage is discharged into our rivers and oceans – it’s an issue that affects everyone all over the country.

“They tell us they don’t think the government is doing enough about it.”

She said she wasn’t surprised that someone had taken a dislike to the plaque, but was confident another one along the Pyewipe footpath was still in place after being secured with cable ties.

A spokesperson for the City of Lincoln Council said they didn’t believe the council had removed the Brayford plaque.

There had been controversy over a vote on the Environment Act regarding the discharge of sewage into waterways.

Conservatives voted an amendment down which would have required water companies to “take all reasonable steps” to avoid sewage overflows.

Another amendment to make improvements was passed after a public outcry.

Lincoln MP Karl McCartney says the amendment would have been unfeasible

Lincolnshire MPs Victoria Atkins (Louth and Horncastle), Lia Nici (Grimsby) and Martin Vickers (Cleethorpes) have also received plaques in ‘honour’ of their votes.

Karl McCartney has previously defended his vote, saying: “This would have effectively set a specific timeline for infrastructure works which would have been well beyond the ability of the government, Environment Agency and water companies to implement.

“Current cost estimates on the elimination of storm sewerage overflows range from between £150 billion to £660 billion, so it would have been utterly irresponsible to mandate a fixed timeline of work and against unknown cost estimates, without understanding the full impact of doing so.

“Like most of my colleagues, I was not willing to write a blank cheque for this against an impossible timeline and it would have been irresponsible to do so, hence I voted the way I did.”


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