This morning, a striking giant image of Prime Minister Andy Burnham was revealed on a beach in Somerset as part of a bold protest highlighting the UK’s mounting water crisis.
The large-scale sand artwork appeared at Burnham-on-Sea, featuring the Prime Minister’s face alongside the message: “Burnham-on-Sewage?! Time to turn the tide, Andy.”
The campaign group 38 Degrees orchestrated the stunt, urging the Prime Minister to return the water industry to public ownership following a petition signed by 144,442 voters demanding this change.
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Renowned sand artists Sand In Your Eye crafted the expansive design, which took two hours to complete. The artwork is intended to draw attention to water companies discharging sewage into rivers and seas. Inevitably, the creation will be washed away by the tide.
Public polling for 38 Degrees, conducted as Andy Burnham assumed office, reveals 57% of respondents support bringing water companies back into public ownership, with profits legally reinvested into infrastructure. Conversely, only 8% favour maintaining the current private system.
Veronica Hawking, campaigns director at 38 Degrees, commented: “The public are rightly outraged by the state of the country’s water industry. Every year, our bills increase while companies discharge sewage into our rivers and seas and distribute millions to shareholders. Enough is enough.”
“Ahead of the busy bank holiday weekend at our British seaside resorts, we have carved the Prime Minister’s face into the sand at his namesake town, Burnham-on-Sea. This artwork, funded by members of the public contributing small amounts, carries the voice of the 144,442 petition signatories, delivering an unmistakable message to the PM: bring water back into public ownership now!”
The petition remains open for signing.