Actor Danny Dyer has delivered a petition to Downing Street calling for water companies to be brought into public ownership, having sailed down the River Thames on a boat carrying a large poo sculpture as part of a high-profile protest campaign.
Dyer and Sittingbourne and Sheppey MP Kevin McKenna navigated the Thames with the sculpture to draw attention to demands for the water industry to be transferred into state control. According to local reporting, SOS Whitstable founder Ed Acteson joined them at Downing Street when the petition was handed to the Prime Minister's office at 1pm on 14 October.
The petition, which has attracted nearly 350,000 signatures from supporters of the SOS Whitstable campaign, centres on arguments that dividends and executive bonuses should instead be invested in infrastructure, pollution prevention and reliable public services.
Dyer, who operates a caravan park on the Isle of Sheppey alongside his daughter Dani Dyer, has been an active voice in the campaign against sewage pollution. He previously participated in a local sewage protest in Leysdown during September, where he was joined by singer Becky Hill and the environmental group Surfers Against Sewage. His daughter, who is currently appearing on Strictly Come Dancing, also took part in that demonstration.
The actor has previously described the standard of bathing water in the area as
a disgrace, and warned that sewage discharge problems represented
a very dangerous thing.
What is the current water quality status?
According to Defra's Bathing Water Quality monitoring system, Leysdown's most recent classification is rated good, based on water samples collected between 2022 and 2025. The official records indicate that no pollution incidents have been reported at the location during this period.
What is the government's position on water nationalisation?
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has previously indicated support for
greater public controlof the water and energy sectors. However, proposals to nationalise water companies have faced resistance from various quarters, including from financial institutions that lend to Thames Water.
Speaking outside Downing Street, McKenna explained the motivation behind the protest.
What you see is what you get with Danny, he is a man of passion and he is determined to do this. He has been meeting with a lot of local people who have shown him the scale of the problem. The vast majority of the public is really sick of it [sewage discharges] - they want it ended, I want it ended, and Danny wants it ended.
What are water companies saying?
A spokesperson for Water UK, the industry trade body, stated that members were working to eliminate sewage discharges
as fast as we possibly can.
Southern Water, the company responsible for supplying water to the Isle of Sheppey, emphasised its investment commitments. The company said it was
tackling the root causes of pollution through our record £8.9bn investment programmeand reported that it had reduced pollution incidents by almost a third between 2023 and 2025. A spokesperson added:
No pollution is acceptable and we're working as fast as possible to bring about the improvements our customers expect.
What is the broader campaign context?
The push for water industry nationalisation has gained momentum among environmental campaigners and residents affected by sewage discharges. A separate parliamentary petition calling for a binding referendum on public ownership had accumulated more than 205,000 signatures and was scheduled for debate on 14 September 2026, according to SOS Whitstable.
Key Facts:
- Nearly 350,000 people have signed the petition demanding water industry nationalisation, initiated by campaigners SOS Whitstable
- The petition argues that corporate dividends and executive bonuses should be redirected toward infrastructure improvements and pollution prevention
- Leysdown's bathing water is currently classified as good by Defra, with no reported pollution incidents between 2022 and 2025
- Southern Water has invested £8.9bn in its pollution reduction programme and cut pollution incidents by almost a third between 2023 and 2025
- A separate parliamentary petition for a public ownership referendum had over 205,000 signatures ahead of its scheduled debate on 14 September 2026
