Or: Beckton makes the news two days in a row.

Ken Livingstone is fighting government plans to build a desalination plant in east London. The facility, to be located in Beckton, would purify river water, easing water shortages in the capital.

Livingstone believes that Thames Water should concentrate on fixing leaks in existing pipes rather than, dare I say it, splashing out on energy-consuming solutions such as desalination facilities.

The Mayor is not one to sit on the fence when it comes to environmental issues. Remember, this is the guy who suggested we save water by not flushing the toilet. The Guardian have him almost shaking his fist at Thames Water:

They have the worst leakage record in the UK and the water produced by this plant won’t even come close to replacing what they waste every day. Adding £200m to Londoners’ water bills to spend on a technology more appropriate for the desert is simply a disgrace. I cannot sit back and allow that to happen.

His appeal will be heard by the High Court.