Send Scottish water south, says Boris Johnson

London mayor Boris Johnson has recommended moving water supplies from Scotland and Wales to areas of shortage in the south and east of England.

He said rain that falls over the Scottish and Welsh mountains could be diverted to the areas where there are water shortages.

The Conservative politician has discussed the idea with Professor Roger Falconer of Cardiff University's school of engineering, another proponent of the notion.

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Mr Johnson said: "Since Scotland and Wales are on the whole higher up than England, it is surely time to do the obvious - use the principle of gravity to bring surplus rain from the mountains to irrigate and refresh the breadbasket of the country in the south and east."

He added: "He (Prof Falconer] has been looking at all sorts of proposals for improving our current network of canals so as to integrate them into the water supply.

"He talks of linking up Welsh mountain reservoirs via the Wye and the Severn with the Thames, or of sending the water from the Severn and the Trent round to East Anglia - for many years the driest part of the country."

Prof Falconer said he had been contacted by Mr Johnson and they spoke for about an hour.