Environment hopes for Labour to address

Catherine Arnold, an open water swimmer, thinks more needs to be done to tackle pollutants released into the sea and rivers

The environment - and caring for it - continues to be a hot topic of conversation among campaigners and politicians.

Here, three people concerned about sustainable farming, the quality of our water and renewable energy tell the BBC what they want from the new Labour government.

Jon Watt farms almost 250 acres (100 hectares) near Laxfield in Suffolk.

He has 18 head of cattle and grows wheat and barley - he also does contract work for other nearby farms which accounts for about 50% of his turnover.

Jon Watt is a young farmer from north Suffolk

He receives payments from the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) which is part of the Environmental Land Management Scheme (ELMS), introduced by the previous government post-Brexit to replace EU subsidies that were linked to production and the size of the farm.

ELMS and the SFI, however, reward farmers for introducing wildlife-friendly measures such as wild flower margins for pollinators, using no insecticides and hedge planting.

SFI brings in about £13,000 of income annually for Mr Watt.

He says it is vital the scheme continues under the new government as his rotation of crops is structured around it and it forms an important part of his income.

Mr Watt raises cattle and grows arable crops

He wants the new government to stick with the policy and fund it.

"From leaving the European Union it took about eight years to get to where we are today," says Mr Watt.

"We've just about got our heads around the scheme - we understand it - and it would be a really devastating thing to change it drastically now, which is where the agriculture budget itself is so important because it pays for this system.

"If we want to achieve the environmental goals they've set out, they need an agriculture budget of about £5bn to deliver that."

A government spokesperson told the BBC that Labour was "aiming to boost rural economic growth and Britain’s food security by introducing a new deal for farmers".

This would include cutting through red tape in the Environment Land Management Schemes and protecting farmers from being undercut by low welfare and low standards in trade deals.

Manningtree Mermaids are a wild water swimming group based in Essex

Catherine Arnold, a member of Essex-based wild swimming group Manningtree Mermaids, has long been a campaigner pressing for a clean-up of our seas and rivers.

Earlier this year, Manningtree beach in Essex, the River Cam at Sheep's Green in Cambridge and the River Stour at Sudbury in Suffolk were among 27 new sites in England to achieve designated bathing water status.

It means Anglian Water could now install disinfection equipment at local sewage works to stop harmful bacteria like E-coli from being discharged into the water.

But Ms Arnold maintains more needs to be done.

'Like a drop in the ocean'

She is calling on Labour to "increase the fines to water companies - polluters - and also to withhold bonuses from executives of water companies".

But, she also says criminal procedures should be introduced "because the fines that they impose on the water companies are like a drop in the ocean to them".

"The whole system has to change - what I'd really love the government to be doing is looking at a long-term solution," Ms Arnold says.

"The current system allows for sewage to be released into the water and then the water dilutes it - and that's the process - part of the sewage purification process - by dumping it in the water.

"We need a more holistic approach to our waterways' health - not just looking at sewage pollution but also agricultural pollution and micro-plastics.

"I would love for the legislation to change and hold the water companies more to account.

"I'm hoping that the Labour government is going to be listening to the [people] who voted them in, and realise that the environment is massively important - our waterways are the lifeblood - it's much bigger than us just going for a swim."

A government spokesperson told the BBC that "the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Steve Reed, met with representatives of 16 water companies across England and Wales last week".

They said companies have now signed up to the government’s initial package of reforms which includes consumers "gaining new powers to hold water company bosses to account through powerful new customer panels".

"For the first time in history, customers will have the power to summon board members and hold water executives to account."

Simon Coote is the general manager at Alicat Workboats on the Norfolk coast

Alicat Workboats, in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, makes boats to ferry engineers around offshore wind farms.

Its general manager, Simon Coote, says the new government needs to provide the sector with long-term stability - and says an improved apprenticeship scheme is also needed to tackle a skills shortage in the boat building industry.

Mr Coote says the renewables sector has transformed the business over the past 10 years or so, and maintaining boats makes up about 60% of its turnover.

Asked what he wants from the new government, he says: "I think what we need is a long-term vision for the renewables sector to allow our customers to carry on the investment in the new infrastructure.

"Skill shortages is the other problem we have - we have a certain amount of apprentices but we end up turning work away because we haven't got enough staff.

"We have 20% apprentices and I'd like to increase that - it's just the financial restraints we have - but it's crucial for the future of the company."

A government spokesperson told the BBC that Labour aimed to "double onshore wind, treble solar and quadruple offshore wind by 2030 – taking action now to bring down energy bills for good and accelerate our journey to net zero".

Regarding apprenticeships, the spokesperson said: "We are committed to ensuring our post-16 qualifications include a range of choices that give young people the best life chances."