Burnham shelves Thames Water administration plans over costs

Prime Minister Andy Burnham is facing mounting pressure over reports that he has paused plans to place Thames Water into a special administration regime, a move that would have brought the debt-ridden utility under temporary state control. The shift comes as officials warned that such a rescue could cost taxpayers billions of pounds and invite legal challenges, leaving the government caught between a creditor-led rescue plan and demands for full public ownership. Thames Water, which serves around 16 million customers, is burdened with nearly £20 billion in debt and has warned it could run out of cash by the end of the year.