Prime Minister Rishi Sunak visits Devon one week since election announced
The Prime Minister took the overnight sleeper train from London Paddington to embark on a day of campaigning in the south west of England
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has visited Devon as part of the latest south west leg in his General Election campaign tour.
The Prime Minister took the overnight sleeper train from London Paddington to embark on a day of campaigning in the south west of England, starting in Penzance and Longrock.
It comes one week after the General Election was announced to be taking place on Thursday 4 July.
During his first visit, we asked Rishi Sunak about how he proposes to hold our water companies to account after last year saw a record number of sewage spills in our waterways.
Figures from the Environment Agency revealed a 54% increase in the number of sewage spills in the south west in 2023 compared to 2022, and a 13% increase compared to 2020.
Rishi Sunak told us: "Record investment upgrading all the waste treatment works, the second is regulation tackling the root cause of these things and thirdly enforcement, giving the regulator incredibly tough powers so they can levy unlimited fines and penalties on water companies and hold them to account."
Meanwhile Labour's Keir Starmer says it's "shocking what's happened to our rivers and seas." The party say their plan would stop the bonuses, tackle failing water companies, and protect Britain’s beautiful holiday spots.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak speaking with our reporter in Penzance:
The Prime Minister also discussed issues including second homes in Devon and Cornwall, apprenticeships and national service.
Sunak is promising to create 100-thousand more apprenticeships a year by shutting down "rip-off degrees" while Sir Keir Starmer says cutting waiting lists would be the "first step" of a Labour government's plan for the NHS. Shadow health secretary Wes Streeting's proposing 40-thousand extra appointments, scans and operations each week.
Elsewhere, Lib Dem leader Ed Davey's campaigning in Wales today but he says the party has got the South West in their sights again.