A FORMER rock singer turned environmental campaigner has highlighted his environmental campaign while visiting a Welsh constituency

Rock singer turned environmental campaigner Feargal Sharkey recently met with Labour's candidate Catherine Fookes to highlight his environmental campaign, and has given her his backing. 

Mr Sharkey is currently running the the Stop the Sh*tshow campaign, which aims to highlight water pollution in some of the UK’s best loved rivers and seas.

Visiting the Wye River on a tour of the UK’s best loved river and seas to highlight water pollution, Feargal Sharkey met with local candidate Catherine to highlight his campaign.

Standing on the banks of the Wye, Sharkey recalled the first time he fly-fished on this river near Monmouth’s Rockfield Studios, when he was frontman of The Undertones, known for hits like Teenage Kicks and Here Comes The Summer.

He is still a regular visitor to the constituency, and is now the President of Labour’s Environment Campaign,  SERA, who are campaigning to tackle water pollution across the UK.

His tour is in support of Labour candidates who are members of the campaign and standing in the July 4 election.  

Speaking to local campaigners and activists, Sharkey said: “This lady standing next to my right-hand side, Catherine Fookes – you need to elect her, because I know she’s going to go out there. She’s going to deliver.

He continued: “I’ve spent over 50 years of my life doing this – standing on the banks of rivers. I’ve watched them decline, and that has to stop.

"This lady standing next to my right has convinced me she’s got the determination, the will, the ambition and the drive to do just that.

"Get out on July 4. Make sure we change what’s going on across the UK. Make sure Catherine becomes the next MP for Monmouthshire.”

Catherine Fookes said: “I know if you’ve got a campaigner like  Feargal Sharkey endorsing you, you will be held to account.

"So my message to residents is this – if I'm elected as Monmouthshire’s next MP, I will do absolutely everything in my power working with the citizen’s groups and the authorities to clean up our rivers.

“Across Britain, coasts, rivers and lakes are impacted by illegal pollution. In England, the Conservatives have turned a blind eye, and weakened regulation, with serious damage done to people’s health, our countryside and the tourism industry.”

According to Welsh Labour, in Wales, three times as many rivers achieve good or better ecological status than in England, achieved by systems including the  Better River Quality Taskforce focusing on sewage pollution and nutrients boards, and the River Summits, committed to improving water quality across Wales. 

Welsh Labour say it is also committed to improving water quality by reviewing agricultural pollution regulations and tackling metal mine pollution.

The Welsh Labour Government has now invested £15 million since 2020, with another £5 million planned for 2024-25.