MP Faces Threat of Ruinous Bill Over Representation in High-Profile Court Case Against Crisis-Hit Utility
A Liberal Democrat MP has been embroiled in a row with Britain's largest water company, Thames Water, after the utility attempted to make him pay its legal fees. The bill, which could reach up to £1,400 per hour, was proposed by Thames Water as part of an attempt to "deter" future appeals to the supreme court.
The MP, Charlie Maynard, had represented the interests of the British public in a high-profile court battle over an investor bailout for Thames Water. The company, which serves 16 million customers in London and south-east England, has been on the verge of collapse due to its net debt of £17 billion.
Thames Water's barristers argued that Maynard should be made personally liable for the expensive legal fees as a way of discouraging future appeals to the supreme court. However, their attempts were rejected by the UK's highest court, which ruled that there was "no reason at all" that Maynard should not pay the costs.
Maynard described the proposal as "retaliation" and said he was relieved after facing the prospect of a ruinous bill. He claimed that Thames Water had carried out an act of retribution for arguing that the company should be put into special administration, which would have required billpayers to pay for its services.
Critics argue that the move is an attempt by Thames Water and its lenders to silence debate about the company's practices. The director of a campaign group said: "This absolutely disgusting behaviour from Thames Water is the strongest evidence yet of why the government must urgently take it into special administration right now."
The dispute has raised questions about the role of lenders in the crisis-hit utility's struggles. People close to Thames Water and its lenders denied that the arguments were motivated by retaliation, but the cost of the legal fees – which include £2.3m in expenses for Thames Water's solicitors – suggest a significant attempt to recover losses.
The case has highlighted concerns about the impact of corporate governance on public services. As one MP put it: "What is the government doing letting a bunch of people run the largest water utility in the country and behave this way?" The dispute remains unresolved, with Thames Water seeking a long-term solution to its financial resilience.
A Liberal Democrat MP has been embroiled in a row with Britain's largest water company, Thames Water, after the utility attempted to make him pay its legal fees. The bill, which could reach up to £1,400 per hour, was proposed by Thames Water as part of an attempt to "deter" future appeals to the supreme court.
The MP, Charlie Maynard, had represented the interests of the British public in a high-profile court battle over an investor bailout for Thames Water. The company, which serves 16 million customers in London and south-east England, has been on the verge of collapse due to its net debt of £17 billion.
Thames Water's barristers argued that Maynard should be made personally liable for the expensive legal fees as a way of discouraging future appeals to the supreme court. However, their attempts were rejected by the UK's highest court, which ruled that there was "no reason at all" that Maynard should not pay the costs.
Maynard described the proposal as "retaliation" and said he was relieved after facing the prospect of a ruinous bill. He claimed that Thames Water had carried out an act of retribution for arguing that the company should be put into special administration, which would have required billpayers to pay for its services.
Critics argue that the move is an attempt by Thames Water and its lenders to silence debate about the company's practices. The director of a campaign group said: "This absolutely disgusting behaviour from Thames Water is the strongest evidence yet of why the government must urgently take it into special administration right now."
The dispute has raised questions about the role of lenders in the crisis-hit utility's struggles. People close to Thames Water and its lenders denied that the arguments were motivated by retaliation, but the cost of the legal fees – which include £2.3m in expenses for Thames Water's solicitors – suggest a significant attempt to recover losses.
The case has highlighted concerns about the impact of corporate governance on public services. As one MP put it: "What is the government doing letting a bunch of people run the largest water utility in the country and behave this way?" The dispute remains unresolved, with Thames Water seeking a long-term solution to its financial resilience.
I'm telling ya, this is super fishy! 
Thames Water's trying to silence Charlie Maynard 'cause they don't wanna answer for their own shenanigans? It's like they're trying to cover their tracks, you know? 
And the fact that they're trying to charge the MP with £1,400 an hour in legal fees is just insane! 
That's like, what, millions of dollars?! 
It's all about control and silencing dissent, imo. I mean, if the government isn't doing anything about it, who's gonna stop Thames Water? 
It's a classic case of "do no harm" but really they're just trying to do whatever it takes to keep their dirty secrets under wraps. 
anyway i'm literally so tired of these corporate giants trying to silence people who speak out against them like charlie maynard did his job and now he's gonna be forced to pay for it or get bullied into shutting up... this whole thing is just wild
. hope thames water sorts out its act before it's too late...
Thames Water's attempt to make MP Charlie Maynard pay for their legal fees is just ridiculous. I mean, come on, £1,400 an hour? That's just absurd! 
But at the same time, I can see why they'd try to do that - it's like a massive slap in the face to anyone who dares to question their practices.
The government needs to step up and take action, because this just feels like more of the same old thing. We can't keep relying on fines and lawsuits to sort things out - it's time for real change! 
. I feel so bad for Charlie Maynard, he was already in a tough spot and now this? It's like they're trying to scare him off from speaking up for the public 
. The government needs to step in and make sure something like this can't happen again 
. Thames Water's behavior is not acceptable, and it's time someone held them to account 
.
. I was driving and suddenly thought about how amazing it is when you stumble upon a quirky little cafe that serves the best fish and chips ever 
. Anyway, back to this Thames Water thing... have you guys ever noticed how some companies just seem to be playing dirty? Like, they're more worried about their rep than doing what's actually right for the public? 
It's like, we elect our reps to make sure these kinds of things don't happen, but it seems like sometimes they can't even get that done properly 
. Oh wait, I just remembered... have you tried those new salt and vinegar crisps from Lidl? game changer! 
it's like they think we're gonna let them get away with all the debt and corruption without anyone questioning it. sounds like a pretty clear case of retaliation to me