Environment Secretary says free football tickets were not from water company

The Environment Secretary has rejected that free football tickets he received had any significant link to a failing water company.

Steve Reed was asked about accepting tickets from Hutchison 3G UK, which shares a parent company with Northumbrian Water.

He said he was not aware that the company he accepted tickets from had any link to a UK water firm.

“There was nobody from a water company that was involved in offering those tickets. There was nobody from a water company at that event,” Mr Reed told Sky News.

He said there were “no conversations about water” at the event.

Asked later on ITV about the tickets, he said that “your inference as well as your facts, I’m afraid, are wrong”.

“It was a telecoms company called Three. They’re not a water company. They’re a telecoms company.

“It was declared openly and transparently, and if your inference is that by … taking tickets from a telecoms company, it’s weakened my resolve on water, just look at my record.

“I had them in my office seven days after the election.

“I got the toughest action that any Secretary of State has ever taken against the water companies going through right now, making them face personal criminal liability and banning their bonuses.

“And I’m launching a commission today to reset the sector entirely so your inference as well as your facts, I’m afraid, are wrong.”

Mr Reed’s published declarations show he received a ticket to a Chelsea v Crystal Palace match with hospitality worth a combined £1,786 in December 2023.

Those were provided by Hutchison 3G UK Limited, a subsidiary of Hong-Kong based CK Hutchison Holdings Limited.

Northumbrian Water Group’s ultimate parent company is CK Hutchison Holdings via two other intermediate holding companies.

Ofwat chief executive David Black earlier this year called Northumbrian and two other firms’ records of polluting rivers and waterways “a catalogue of failure”.

A spokesperson for Steve Reed said: “This story is complete nonsense, the ticket was from a telecoms company.

“Every donation has been declared properly, not a penny of taxpayers’ money has been wasted and not a single policy has been softened.

“And if you want proof, then look at the legislation he has announced that is the toughest crackdown on water companies in decades – banning polluting water bosses’ bonuses and ensuring that they will face criminal charges if they keep breaking the law.

“Compare that to the Tory record in government. The Russian donors, the Frank Hester scandal, the Covid corruption, Matt Hancock’s barman, Michelle Mone, Robert Jenrick’s planning decision.

“And over and over again, taxpayers’ money being wasted – VIP helicopters, billions spent on outside consultants, contracts handed to their mates, billions stolen in Covid fraud just being written off by Rishi Sunak, millions handed out in undeserved severance payments for Tory ministers.”