Thames Water is facing fury from parliament after handing its finance chief a £1m “signing-on fee” last month. Company chairman Adrian Montague argued that such massive payments are a “necessary incentive” for staff retention. The news of the bonus is particularly outrageous given that the company is currently drowning in some £20 billion debt. The threat of temporary nationalisation looms ever larger over Thames Water, unless it can reach a deal with its creditors and the government. Thames Water’s record of neglect and waste In June 2025, Ofwat rolled out new powers to block water bosses’ bonuses if their companies miss…