Thanks to The Big Issue for providing the idea for this: let’s expose the lies private companies tell to avoid taking blame for crises they cause.
According to that magazine, the privatised water companies have adopted tactics from Big Oil and Big Tobacco to “deny, deflect and distract” from the crisis of raw sewage being pumped into our waterways – as follows:
Disinformation: Companies described sewage discharges as “heavily diluted rainwater” – even when pollution presented a risk to health.

Buy Cruel Britannia in print here. Buy the Cruel Britannia ebook here. Or just click on the image!
Deflecting blame: They also “blamed customers” – suggesting flushed wet wipes were the biggest problem for water infrastructure while neglecting vital upgrades.
Inflating costs: Companies then exaggerated the cost of solving pollution issues, quoting figures as high as £660bn, to “manage expectations around investment and reform.” This laid the groundwork for bill increases that we are suffering from April this year.
Of course, these are just three examples of the excuses given by privatised utility firms.
Do you have a favourite – or at least, one that you’ve heard recently? Let us all know by sending it to the comments.
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Let’s expose the lies private companies tell to avoid taking blame
Thanks to The Big Issue for providing the idea for this: let’s expose the lies private companies tell to avoid taking blame for crises they cause.
According to that magazine, the privatised water companies have adopted tactics from Big Oil and Big Tobacco to “deny, deflect and distract” from the crisis of raw sewage being pumped into our waterways – as follows:
Buy Cruel Britannia in print here. Buy the Cruel Britannia ebook here. Or just click on the image!
Of course, these are just three examples of the excuses given by privatised utility firms.
Do you have a favourite – or at least, one that you’ve heard recently? Let us all know by sending it to the comments.
Vox Political needs your help!
If you want to support this site
(but don’t want to give your money to advertisers)
you can make a one-off donation here:
Be among the first to know what’s going on! Here are the ways to manage it:
1) Register with us by clicking on ‘Subscribe’ (bottom right of the home page). You can then receive notifications of every new article that is posted here.
2) Follow VP on Twitter @VoxPolitical
3) Like the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/VoxPolitical/
Join the Vox Political Facebook page.
4) You could even make Vox Political your homepage at http://voxpoliticalonline.com
5) Follow Vox Political writer Mike Sivier on BlueSky
6) Join the MeWe page at https://mewe.com/p-front/voxpolitical
7) Feel free to comment!
And do share with your family and friends – so they don’t miss out!
If you have appreciated this article, don’t forget to share it using the buttons at the bottom of this page. Politics is about everybody – so let’s try to get everybody involved!
Buy Vox Political books so we can continue
fighting for the facts.
Cruel Britannia is available
in either print or eBook format here:
The Livingstone Presumption is available
in either print or eBook format here:
Health Warning: Government! is now available
in either print or eBook format here:
The first collection, Strong Words and Hard Times,
is still available in either print or eBook format here:
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