MAYOR PERFORMS OLYMPIC U-TURN ON BECKTON DESALINATION PLANT - TUFFRE

12.31.39pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 26th May 2006

Liberal Democrat research has revealed today that the Mayor has performed a monumental U-Turn on his position regarding the Beckton desalination plant.

In November 2004, the London 2012 candidate file, supported by the Mayor, stated clearly that the Beckton desalination plant was a fait accompli.

"Due to increasing demand for water and the predicted impacts of climate change, innovative sustainable solutions are being put in place to ensure continued safe and reliable water supplies. One example is the planned 150 megalitres per day desalination plant to treat brackish water from the Thames estuary at Beckton, close to the Lea Valley. This is a first in the UK and will be operational from 2007"

Commenting, on the revelation, Liberal Democrat Environment Spokesperson on the London Assembly, Mike Tuffrey said:

"The Mayor has performed an Olympic U-turn on the Beckton desalination plant. The initial bid document presented to the IOC in 2004 and endorsed by the Mayor shows the desalination plant as a fait accompli, operational from 2007.

'Yet, the Mayor set out his case against the plant only two weeks ago - is this a case of Ken Livingstone, one of the key stakeholder in the Olympics, not having read the bid document?

'This is another example of the Mayor sending out mixed messages to different communities. On one hand he tries to show himself as having green credentials, on the other he is only too happy to say what he thinks international organisations, like the IOC, want to hear."

ENDS

Notes to the Editors

1. Full links to the candidate file bid document section on water supply (see point 5.3)

http://www.london2012.com/NR/rdonlyres/B80CBAC4-6620-4F14-9698-12B62696B54A/0/Theme_5_environment.pdf