1) Eat dinner earlier on Sunday, 29 March

2) Try “sleep staggering”

3) Get that morning sunshine in

4) Don’t forget to stay active

Most teens and adults aren’t vaccinated against MenB

Charity calls for MenB to be added to routine vaccinations for teens

Signs of meningitis

What happens now?

In the early hours of 13 March in the village of Humsa, in the northern Jordan Valley, a Palestinian family was subjected to yet another extremely violent attack by illegal Israeli colonial settlers.

The family and international solidarity activists were tied up by their hands and feets before being kicked and beaten by 30 masked settlers.

They told the victims:

We want to kill you… We are Jewish, this is our land.

The settlers also blindfolded activists, beat up one Palestinian man with rocks, and sexually assaulted another person. Activists were asked if they wanted their fingers cut and their rings were stolen as well as their passports, phones and money.

After the attack, because the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) blocked their access to the property, it took three hours for the first ambulance to arrive for the injured.

US activist, Ava Lang, and her friend were with the Palestinian family as International Solidarity Movement (ISM) volunteers when the settler attack took place.

Here, Lang recalls the shocking details of the incident in her own words.

_____________________________________________________________________

‘We are going to kill you!’

When the illegal Israeli settlers arrived, I was waiting for my night watch shift, asleep in the corner of a small tent which we share with the Palestinian father who stays up to protect his family.

He and I woke up at around 1.20am to my friend screaming at us to get up, before immediately being swarmed and trapped in the tent by about six masked Israeli settlers. They were armed with heavy wooden sticks. They immediately beat the three of us to the ground, smashing our faces with their fists and clubs.

They zip-tied our hands and feet and were yelling things like, “We are going to kill you!” They pulled down the Palestinian father’s pants, poured water all over him and brutally beat him into the dirt. All he could do was curl into a foetal position and scream when they beat him with their clubs.

Others ransacked our bags, stealing our wallets and passports. One asked me for my phone and every time I said I didn’t know where it was — because the whole tent was a mess and I could not move — he would hit me in the face.

Once they found our phones, they dragged my friend out by her ankles as she could not stand up because of the zip ties. They pulled me up and dragged me out of the tent by my hair. They shoved the father out barefoot.

‘All you could hear was shouting and screaming’

While out in the open they continued hitting the Palestinian father with their clubs, bashing his left eye. One held me by my hair and continually grabbed my ear, ripping downwards as if to pull it off. They then pushed the three of us, while hitting us with their clubs, towards the centre of the property.

Here we witnessed the chaos of the family’s flock of sheep let loose and around 30 illegal Israeli settlers running around beating the rest of the Palestinian family. All you could hear was shouting and screaming.

Then the settlers ushered us into a different tent, severely hitting my butt on the way in, leaving a large welt. They blindfolded my friend and shoved all three of us to the ground in the tent with other Palestinian men. They intermittently hit and kicked all of us, the Palestinians receiving the most brutal of their blows.

I laid shaking with my hands protecting my face next to the elderly patriarch of the family. He was curled up in a foetal position, zip-tied. He had a bleeding gash on his swollen cheek and looked to be unconscious. We learned later that he was assaulted with rocks. All of the children, around six or seven of them, were gathered at the back of the tent, whimpering, and forced to watch us.

‘It was one of the worst things I’ve ever seen’

The Israeli settlers threw a cloth over my face and continued kicking or punching, and terrorising. If the children began to cry, the settlers would scream at them and go over to scare them. I could not see if they were physically harming them or not.

In a whisper, you could hear the kids praying. It was one of the few things that pulled me through the horror. They screamed at my friend and I to remove our rings, saying, “I will break your fingers if you don’t take them off faster” and hitting my face as I struggled to take them off while my wrists were bound.

They would occasionally ask our names and where we were from. They then poured water all over us. I thought it was gasoline at first and thoughts of being burned alive in the tent with the Palestinian family flooded my mind. Someone ripped my jacket open with a knife, aggressively cutting from my left armpit to my hip. One settler messed with my belt and I screamed because I thought they were going to rape me.

Before reaching this new tent, we had witnessed the settlers collectively brutally sexually assaulting someone. It was one of the worst things I’ve ever seen. The whole time after, I thought we were going to be raped. Then suddenly they cut all of our zip ties, rolled my friend on top of one of the other Palestinian men on the ground and retreated.

Upon standing up we tried consoling the children in the tent, but everyone kind of ran out into the night and general chaos. It was mostly dark. There were only a few flashlights as the settlers had destroyed or taken down the family’s floodlights.

The men of the family tended to the wounded and ran into the hills seeking the sheep. Luckily they found a few of them, so they herded them back into the pen. Some of the older children helped with this, but the settlers stole 350 sheep.

The IOF blocked ambulance from arriving

The young toddlers were running around without shoes, crying for their mothers. I did not know where the mothers were or what the settlers had done to them. There were a couple of months-old babies crying alone in one of the tents. Some Palestinian vehicles arrived with family members to support.

At one point some of the young Palestinian men returned over the hill from their search for more sheep, but before we all knew they were Palestinian, everyone near the tents panicked and screamed for a moment thinking the settlers had returned.

About an hour later, two others from Jordan Valley Activists arrived on the scene. Then the IOF arrived and questioned the men, and inspected the injured people. It took the red crescent ambulance three hours to show up because the IOF blocked it from arriving. It transported four Palestinians to the hospital in Tubas, with severe head injuries and other trauma wounds.

My friend and I sat watching the Palestinians finally receive medical treatment as the dusk’s first light crested their ancestral hills. Tears and bloody snot covered my face. I cried silent tears over the lack of reprieve for this Palestinian family.

They were lucky that the IOF, or Israeli occupation police, did not detain or arrest any of them for some falsified reason, as is often the outcome when they arrive after a settler incident.

Nowhere is safe for the family. There is no-one for them to call during these attacks that will protect them. Even the ambulance took hours to arrive because of the Israeli occupation’s oppressive movement control.

‘The international community refuses to intervene’

And I cried for their land. If they choose to remain, they are simply waiting for the next settler attack, but the human body and nervous system can only take so much trauma. Yet they have nowhere else to go.

They have lived on their land since before they can remember and they may never return if they are forcibly displaced. The settler colonial state of Israel does not uphold the UN human right of return, nor give reparations for Palestinian displacement.

Worst of all, there is no end in sight to such abuse. Deadly illegal settler attacks in coordination with the Israeli state and military have increased exponentially since 7 October 2023. The settlers rarely receive punishment for their theft, violence and murders, let alone their status as illegal occupiers on Palestinian land.

The IOF arrests and kills Palestinians when all they do is seek to exist on their land. All while the international community refuses to intervene in, and even funds, Israel’s apartheid against Palestinians.

My body aches, but the racist settlers inflicted far worse injuries upon the bodies of the Palestinians. As a privileged international, it is easy to call this the worst fucking night of my life. But for Palestinians, it is but another violent injustice imposed by “Israel” on an infinitely long list of human rights abuses.

_______________________________________________________________

Israel’s must be stopped

Lang says this attack is just one of the human rights violations suffered by this family. Settlers have also carried out theft, destroyed property and physically assaulted them. Also, as with many Palestinians in the village of Humsa, livestock is their livelihood but settler shepherds are now grazing their sheep on the family’s land, forcing them to keep their animals inside and buy costly grain to feed them.

All day every day, the terrorist state of “Israel” commits human rights abuses, including the war crime of forcible displacement against an occupied population. The purpose of these actions is to fulfill the zionist regime’s dream of a “Greater Israel“.

It is the moral and legal responsibility of us all, including the governments of the so-called democracies of the world, who talk endlessly of human rights and freedom, to stop these actions of the terrorist state of “Israel” now.

Featured image via residents/International Solidarity Movement

Zack Polanski and Hannah Spencer pose in front of Parliament after Spencer’s by-election victory in Gorton and Denton (Alamy)

5 min read15 min

Green sources told The Telegraph last week that around 50 Labour councillors had defected to their party in the past six months, claiming the pace had accelerated as Labour braces for what are expected to be a bruising set of local elections in May.

The sources said the party had been receiving two or three inquiries a week from local Labour politicians considering defecting.

“More and more councillors have been moving to the Greens in the past six months and, like our polling and membership surge, this momentum is increasing,” one source told the newspaper.

The Greens’ victory at last month’s Gorton and Denton by-election underlined the threat that Zack Polanski’s party poses to Labour. Candidate Hannah Spencer won 40 per cent of the vote in a constituency that had been controlled by Labour for over a century.

At the same time, the Greens are enjoying record highs in the national opinion polls.

The Greens certainly have momentum. But when it comes to councillor defections, what do the numbers tell us?

According to the Green Party’s own list of councillors who have joined the party, seen by PoliticsHome, 64 councillors have defected to the Greens since the July 2024 general election at the time of writing.

Of these, 48 defections have taken place since September 2025, shortly after Polanski became party leader on 2 September.

The vast majority of these switches have come from Labour. Fifty-four of the 64 councillors previously represented the Labour Party.

However, the picture is more complicated than a direct Labour-to-Green exodus. At least 10 of those councillors had already left Labour and were sitting as independents before joining the Greens. Several had either been expelled from Labour or deselected ahead of the upcoming council elections.

The Greens currently have more than 900 councillors across England and Wales, up from 859 councillors on 181 councils following the 2025 local elections, when the party made a net gain of 43 seats, its best-ever result.

The party hopes to build on that momentum in this year’s local elections, which are taking place in Scotland, Wales and councils across England. 

In particular, the Greens are seen as a risk to Labour in London, where Polanski has suggested that he could stand to be an MP at the next general election. 

The councillors who have joined the Greens up to now are spread across the country, from London and the South East to Yorkshire and Wales, according to the party’s list.

Tony Travers, professor in local government at the London School of Economics, said the defections to the Greens so far had been “modest in number”.

“They’re not evidence of an exodus from the Labour Party,” he told PoliticsHome.

Travers noted that councillors often defect when they are deselected or politically marginalised, particularly in the run-up to elections.

“They’ve got nothing to lose now by hopping to another party, particularly when that other party might well be more popular than the Labour Party,” he said.

Since the 2024 general election, more than 80 councillors have also defected from the Conservative Party to Reform UK, alongside a handful of defections to Reform from Labour.

“With all the many curiosities of contemporary British politics, one is the fact that Reform and the Greens have a significant amount in common because they’re challenger parties,” Travers said.

“The Greens face exactly the same problem as Reform, which is they’ve got a bit of momentum, but they need to sustain it.”

Polanski recently told The  House magazine that his party was in conversation with a “handful” of Labour MPs considering defecting from Keir Starmer’s party.

“If you speak to some Labour MPs, some days it seems like it’s going to be their last day in the party, and other days they’ve seen a glimmer of light and think everything’s going to be OK,” he said.

Following Labour’s collapse in Gorton and Denton, many Labour MPs urged Starmer to be more progressive in a bid to stop bleeding support to Polanski’s party.

However, multiple Labour MPs told PoliticsHome they were not overly concerned about councillor defections in their own areas, noting that many councillors who joined the Greens had already left the party or been deselected.

Some expressed relief that Labour councillors from the left of the party – or as one MP put it, “troublemakers” – had quit Labour.

There is also concern within the Liberal Democrats that some of their MPs could defect to the Greens amid restlessness over the direction of the party.

A senior Liberal Democrat MP last week told PoliticsHome that at least two Lib Dem MPs — both representing traditionally Conservative constituencies in southern England captured during the party’s 2024 surge – could be tempted to switch to the Greens.

Travers said the Greens were increasingly positioning themselves as a vehicle for political protest.

“They are challenging the Liberal Democrats as a repository for protest,” he said.

Thousands of people living and working in the UK could face up to 15 years before qualifying for permanent settlement. This could be the impact of major immigration reforms expected to take effect in April 2026.

The UK government plans to introduce a new “Earned Settlement” framework. It’ll replace the traditional five-year route to Indefinite Leave to Remain with a system that links settlement eligibility to economic contribution, income and integration.

Under the proposals, the standard settlement timeline for many arrivals will increase to 10 years. Although some individuals could qualify faster while others may wait significantly longer, depending on their circumstances.

Kadmos Immigration is a law firm that advises individuals and companies on immigration legislation. It says the reforms represent one of the most significant changes to the UK settlement system in decades.

Helena Sheizon, Immigration expert at Kadmos, explains:

This reform represents a fundamental shift from a time-based route to permanent residence, to one focused on earned contribution. It aims to reward economic contribution and integration, but it also means that thousands of people already on paths to settlement will face new qualifying conditions and longer waits if they do not meet newly introduced criteria.

What is the new ‘Earned Settlement’ system?

Under the current immigration framework, most people on routes such as the Skilled Worker visa or family visas can apply for permanent residence after five years of lawful residence.

The proposed reforms introduce a new points-based settlement model, meaning the amount of time required before applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain could vary depending on factors such as income, employment and immigration history.

The government’s proposals suggest:

• A 10-year baseline settlement route for most people coming to live in the UK.
• A reduced pathway of around three years for individuals with very high earnings or exceptional contribution.
• Extended timelines of up to 15 years or more for those with lower income levels or irregular employment history.

The new framework moves away from a purely time-based system towards one where settlement must effectively be “earned” through measurable contribution.

Sheizon adds:

What makes this system distinctive is the idea of earning settlement by measurable contribution. It will require people to demonstrate not just residence but economic engagement with the UK.

Key factors that could affect settlement timelines

Under the Earned Settlement model, the length of time required before applying for permanent residence may depend on several measurable factors. These include:

• Income levels: higher taxable earnings over time could reduce the settlement timeline.
• Public service employment: roles in sectors such as health or education may accelerate eligibility.
• English language proficiency: higher language ability could contribute positively.
• Immigration history: visa breaches, irregular entry or reliance on public funds may extend timelines.

In practice, this means two people arriving in the UK at the same time could reach settlement at very different points depending on their contribution profile.

Several reforms linked to the new system have already begun to take effect or are scheduled for early 2026. These include:

• A higher B2 English language requirement for key visa routes such as Skilled Worker, High Potential Individual and Scale-up visas.
• Increased minimum income thresholds tied to visa eligibility and settlement pathways.
• Expanded compliance and enforcement measures affecting sponsoring employers.

Who will be most affected?

The reforms could impact a wide range of people currently living and working in the UK. Groups likely to be most affected include:

• Skilled workers and their dependents, who may face longer waits for settlement unless they meet higher earnings criteria.
• Family visa holders, who could see settlement timelines extended and additional income tests introduced.
• Lower-paid workers, including those in sectors such as social care or middle-skilled roles, who could face the longest qualifying periods.

The proposed reforms follow a wider immigration strategy outlined in the government’s recent White Paper, and consultations carried out throughout late 2025. Developments leading up to April 2026 include:

• Higher English language requirements for work visa routes from January 2026.
• A reduction in Skilled Worker visa eligibility for some occupations since July 2025.
• A consultation on the Earned Settlement system which closed in February 2026.

There is due to be a formal Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules in March 2026, ahead of the new system’s launch.

Sheizon explains:

The Immigration Reform expected from April 2026 marks a major turning point. The shift to an earned settlement model changes not only how long people must wait for permanent residence but what they must do.

For individuals and families planning long-term lives in the UK, this means greater complexity and new conditions. It also means that migrants cannot assume a simple five-year route to settlement will exist in the future, even if they entered under earlier expectations.

What individuals and employers should do now

With the new rules approaching, immigration law specialists say both visa holders and employers should review their settlement plans early.

Sheizon adds:

Employers and visa holders should review their settlement plans now and where possible schedule for early settlement, as this is in the interests of both the employers and employees.

Kadmos Immigration recommends:

• Reviewing current settlement timelines to identify whether earlier applications may be possible.
• Seeking legal advice for individuals approaching settlement eligibility.
• Monitoring government announcements following the upcoming Statement of Changes expected in March.

Featured image via the Canary

Sally-Ann Hart is the former MP for Hastings and Rye and a former Rother district councillor. 

As a practising Roman Catholic and a Conservative, I am often asked how faith should sit alongside politics. How can someone be both Catholic and Conservative? Is this even a reasonable question? It is certainly one that deserves a serious answer, particularly at a time when religion is increasingly drawn into political conflict, both abroad and at home.

Across the world we can see the consequences of religion being politicised. In Iran, an extreme Islamist theocracy fuses religious authority with state power, suppressing dissent, restricting women’s freedoms and undermining democracy. In Russia, Vladimir Putin has repeatedly invoked the Russian Orthodox Church to lend spiritual legitimacy to his aggression and nationalism. In Afghanistan, the Taliban have used religion to coerce, control and instil fear. None of these examples shine a good light on religion. Instead, they demonstrate what happens when faith is used for extreme political ends, rather than shaping conscience. Faith should not become dogma or used as a political weapon but inform how we exercise power and not be used to legitimise power itself.

Britain’s tradition has been different. Whilst our institutions are not governed by scripture, centuries of Christian thought have profoundly shaped our laws, traditions and social norms. Ideas such as the dignity of the individual, the importance of family life, care for the vulnerable and the moral limits of power all have deep roots in Christian teaching. These are not imposed religious doctrines but principles that have informed our understanding of justice, responsibility and the public interest.

At a time of rapid social change and increasing political division, it is worth remembering why these values remain relevant, especially within Conservative politics.

Throughout my own public life as a solicitor, magistrate, school governor, councillor and Member of Parliament, my faith has never been a party badge or a political slogan. It has been something quieter but more important – a moral compass, my driving force.

Catholicism does not offer a political manifesto. It does not instruct believers how to vote. What it offers instead is a framework for thinking about human fallibility, human dignity, responsibility, and restraint. In that sense it sits naturally alongside the best traditions of British Conservatism. Both recognise that human beings do not flourish in chaos but within an ordered moral framework. Both understand that institutions, though imperfect, carry accumulated wisdom and provide stability across generations. Both recognise that compassion cannot endure without order and that rights must be balanced by responsibilities.

Modern politics often presents a false choice between rules and compassion, as though law and kindness were somehow incompatible. Catholic teaching rejects that. Rules are not the enemy of compassion but the recognition of human fallibility. Without law the weak suffer first. Without boundaries, power accrues to the loudest, the strongest or the most ruthless.

This balance is particularly visible in debates around immigration. Catholic teaching emphasises the dignity of every human person, including those fleeing poverty, persecution or conflict. But it also recognises the legitimacy of borders, the rule of law and the need for democratic consent. A system without rules is not compassionate. It is dysfunctional, and dysfunction harms the most vulnerable first, migrants and host communities alike. Catholics are used to holding these truths together. Conservatism, at its best, seeks to do the same.

Another similarity lies in our understanding of institutions. Catholicism is deeply institutional, believing in tradition, continuity and authority passed down through generations. This makes Catholics nervous about anything that might corrupt institutions from the inside or cause the whole system to collapse. Current populist politics attacks institutions as inherently corrupt or illegitimate. Theocratic politics, by contrast, seeks to capture them in the name of divine authority. Both paths are dangerous. Conservatives choose a different path, of reform rather than destruction, stewardship rather than domination, and authority exercised as service rather than theatrics.

Anger and hatred have sadly become a powerful force in modern politics. Reform UK and the Green Party thrive on grievance and division, drawing sharp distinctions between “the people” and “the system”, or between insiders and outsiders. Catholic moral teaching approaches such politics with caution. Whilst hatred can never be justified, anger can sometimes be – but it must be disciplined by reason, caution and responsibility. Politics driven primarily by grievance rarely produces stable outcomes.

Catholicism is conservative in the truest sense of the word. It seeks to preserve moral boundaries, the wisdom of tradition, and the understanding that not everything we can do is something we should do. Catholicism does not seek to impose belief by force or collapse the distinction between Church and state. Christianity is a moral tradition rooted in humility, responsibility and service, not politics. Faith loses its integrity when it becomes an instrument of the state, and politics loses legitimacy when it claims divine sanction. Faith in public life should elevate political debate rather than inflame it. It should encourage leaders to exercise power with conscience and restraint and remind us that politics exists to serve the public.

Catholic social teaching speaks to many current challenges. Its emphasis on subsidiarity – the principle that decisions should be taken as close as possible to those affected – reinforces the importance of local communities and civil society. Its understanding of stewardship is in line with the Conservative instinct to care for the environment and the resources we pass on to future generations. Its recognition of human dignity underpins the belief that every individual deserves opportunity, respect and protection under the law. These principles help guide political judgment rather than dictate policy.

I was recently elected President of Catholics in the Conservative Party, a group that encourages Catholics to engage thoughtfully in political life and public policy. Its purpose is not to campaign for specific outcomes, but to reflect on how Catholic social teaching – human dignity, subsidiarity, solidarity and the importance of family and community – can inform Conservative thinking. It also provides a space to consider public service as a vocation rooted in responsibility and charity, not power, and to consider the moral foundations of politics in today’s increasingly divisive culture.

Part of that task is rebuilding confidence among Catholic Conservatives that their faith-informed perspective has a legitimate place in political discussion. It also means reaffirming principles that lie at the heart of both Catholic social teaching and the best traditions of Conservatism – the inherent dignity of every person, the importance of family life, and the understanding that strong communities depend not only on government but on the institutions, relationships and responsibilities that exist between individuals and the state. Encouraging the next generation of Catholics to consider public service, whether in politics or the voluntary sector, will be equally important if these values are to continue shaping the character of our national life.

The balance between faith and politics is worth preserving. Voters need to understand not only what political parties propose to do, but why. Policies will evolve in response to changing circumstances, values should not.

At a time of growing division in politics, Catholicism offers a steady focus on responsibility, freedom and the common good. If these values continue to shape public life, our politics will be stronger for it.

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Campaigners are calling for real-time pollution monitoring in Lake Windermere after a recent spate of severe infections from contact with the sewage-contaminated water.

A seven-year-old boy nearly died after contracting a dangerous strain of E. coli from contaminated water at the popular tourist destination in Cumbria last summer.

Rex Early was hospitalised for six weeks and needed two operations when he fell violently ill after kayaking on Windermere.

Now his family have joined calls for real-time pollution alerts to better protect people on the lake, which despite the findings, has an ‘excellent’ bathing water classification from the Environment Agency (EA).

Matt Staniek, the founder of campaign group, Save Windermere, explained:

We are told Windermere’s water quality is ‘excellent’, but that label is dangerously misleading.

People are ending up in hospital. Sewage is being dumped into the lake, yet the government continues to allow England’s largest lake to be polluted by the water company without real-time public warnings.

The EA already operates real-time forecasting elsewhere; it must now bring it to Windermere. The government must end sewage pollution in Windermere and put people before profit.

Windermere’s water is not ‘excellent’

Rex became unwell shortly after kayaking near Brockhole Visitor Centre, which is outside of the lake’s designated testing sites. His symptoms began with severe stomach cramps and rectal bleeding.

His mother, Claire Early, told the Guardian:

I noticed the water was murky but I had checked the Environment Agency website and it came up as excellent water quality on Windermere, so I was reassured.

Lab testing revealed E. coli 0157 as the source of the infection — the same strain that killed nine-year-old Heather Preen in 1999, in Devon. Heather’s story recently featured in Channel 4 docu-drama Dirty Business.

Windermere has four designated bathing sites where the EA tests the water between May and September. However, rowers, paddle-boarders and other outdoor enthusiasts make use of wider areas of the lake, which are not tested for contamination.

In another case, in June last year, 42-year-old Graham Jackson was infected with E. coli after swimming in Lake Windermere.

Again, he began to feel unwell that same evening. A trip to the hospital turned into more than a week-long stay and he developed sepsis, a life-threatening condition.

Likewise, Kate Appleby also caught a severe infection after swimming in the lake over the summer. As a local, Kate swam in Windermere regularly for years. However, she was infected with cryptosporidium from the water, which led to severe vomiting and weeks of hospital visits.

United Utilities

In both Graham and Kate’s cases, they were infected during prolonged dry spells over high summer. However, English water companies claim that they only discharge sewage into water bodies during heavy rainfall.

As such, United Utilities — the regional water supplier for the north west of England — claimed that its activities were unlikely to be responsible for the infections.

Notably, United Utilities reported a 131% increase in profits in the six months leading to 30 September 2025. That follows Ofwat approving a five-year plan to raise people’s bills in the North West by 32%, starting last April.

Research from campaign group, Surfers Against Sewage, revealed that water monopolies dumped nearly 8,500 hours of sewage into 43 bathing sites in 2025 — specifically during dry spells. And, as in the Early’s case, these waters are mostly rated ‘excellent’ quality by the Environment Agency.

However, it’s not just sewage dumping causing issues, according to Save Windermere:

A few years ago, researchers at the University of Oxford’s Department of Biology investigated the impacts of treated sewage, agriculture and urban runoff on river systems. Studying four rivers above and below sewage treatment works, they found that treated sewage discharge was the strongest predictor of high nutrient levels, bottom-dwelling algae and sewage fungus, regardless of surrounding land use.

In Windermere’s case, United Utilities discharged 50 billion litres of treated sewage into the lake and its surrounding catchments between 2017 and 2024. This, according to Save Windermere, is in itself a cause for concern:

A drop of water takes, on average, nine months to travel from the top of the lake to the bottom, meaning much of what enters the lake remains there. Windermere is also naturally oligotrophic, meaning nutrient levels would typically be so low that algal blooms are rare or absent.

The vast quantities of treated effluent entering the lake, carrying the nutrients algae depend on, are pushing Windermere away from its natural state and making it increasingly productive.

These conditions are ideal for the growth of potentially toxic blue-green algae, which threaten both the ecological integrity of the lake and its recreational users.

We saw the consequences in the summer of 2022, when Windermere experienced what was likely the largest blue-green algal bloom on record. The entire North Basin turned vivid green, so striking that it was visible from space.

‘Only rainwater’

As such, in March last year, then-environment secretary, Steve Reed, voiced the government’s long-term ambition of only rainwater entering Windermere.

Likewise, the Only Rainwater coalition — including Save Windermere, Love Windermere, the Lake District National Park authority, United Utilities, the Environment Agency, Ofwat, and Westmorland and Furness Council — is conducting a feasibility study in the area.

The study will gauge the measures needed to eliminate sewage discharges into the lake. The report is due in July, and Save Windermere’s Staniek is pushing for the government to implement the findings immediately. However, this will be a long-term project by necessity.

Until that point, Windermere desperately needs real-time pollution monitoring. This would more accurately reflect United Utilities’ sewage dumping, along with other sources of infection. Further than that, it would help to prevent deaths and further cases of severe infection like Rex, Graham, and Kate’s.

Featured image via Pixabay/ Davesart