NIGEL Huddleston MP responds to claims he voted in favour of "15 more years of sewage dumping by water companies". 

The Liberal Democrats' Twitter account published a list of MP's who they claim voted in favour of 15 more years of sewage dumping in rivers and coasts.

The Draft Environmental Targets Regulations vote was passed with 300 ayes to 170 noes on January 25.

In response to being named on the list, the Mid-Worcestershire MP said: “This week in Parliament there were multiple votes on environmental targets and regulations.

"I and my conservative colleagues voted in favour of all of them, Labour, the Lib Dems and others voted against. I think that speaks for itself.”

Mr Huddleston's Conservative colleague Robin Walker, MP for Worcester, also voted in favour, and called the list "outrageous" and accused the political party of "gaslighting", meaning to manipulate.

He said: "This list is an outrageous piece of gaslighting and misinformation from the Liberal Democrats and they should be ashamed of themselves.

"The vote was setting legally binding targets to reduce pollution.

"This information is extremely misleading in a week parliament has voted to strengthen the law instead watering it down.

"By voting against it, they would have failed to set any legally binding targets, but thankfully they are now being put in place.

"It is about improving the situation and making sure water companies are being held accountable."

Of the 'noes', 150 were labour, 10 were Liberal Democrats and 10 were other parties. 

A spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats said: "Last night, 292 Conservative MPs voted to allow sewage dumping by water companies in our rivers and coasts for at least 15 more years.

"In the last two years alone, water companies in England dumped raw sewage 775,568 times over 5,768,679 hours. The new regulations would permit dumping to continue for 15 more years."

Harriett Baldwin, MP for West-Worcestershire, also voted in favour and has been contacted for comment.