Angela Eagle will introduce new legislation to Parliament to alter the legal status of utility providers. The strengthened water bill removes the prohibition on the state's ability to own water companies, allowing the government to regain control of utilities that have remained under private management for decades.

The measure centers on the repeal of an ideological ban on public ownership established by Margaret Thatcher. Andy Burnham confirmed the details of the legislation on September 29, identifying the policy reversal as the centerpiece of the new proposal.