Darling chooses tap water for Budget Day to support Standard campaign

Alistair Darling will drink plain tap water in the Commons when he delivers his first Budget next week - in support of the Evening Standard's Water On Tap campaign.

According to Budget Day tradition, the Chancellor is allowed to sip from a glass of his favourite drink while he reads his speech.

Called the Budget Tipple, it is the only time that an alcoholic drink is allowed in the Commons chamber-Many past chancellors have made the most of their opportunity to enjoy something stronger in front of envious MPs. Benjamin Disraeli is said to have had a brandy with water, while his Victorian rival, William Gladstone, preferred sherry with a beaten egg. However, Mr Darling has decided to arm himself with nothing stronger than London water.

"I will be drinking tap water on Budget Day and I will be delighted to do so in support of the Evening Standard campaign," he said.

His stance is a contrast with Gordon Brown, who drank bottled Highland Spring water at the Dispatch Box on Budget Day when he was Chancellor.

But in the same way that Mr Brown's choice was the kind of product placement that companies dream of, Mr Darling's decis ion is bound to boost the Standard's campaign to ensure that all London restaurants offer diners the choice of a glass of free tap water with their meal, along with the usual options of still or sparkling water in a bottle.

Our campaign, launched last week, aims to ensure that diners do not feel like "cheapskates" by having to ask for tap water without being offered it, as well as to help protect the environment. It has already won the support of dozens of London restaurants and leading chains as well as celebrity chefs including Tom Aikens, Jamie Oliver, Antony Worrall Thompson and Aldo Zilli. Britons drink three billion bottles of water every year, of which half a billion are flown or

shipped from overseas. Transporting bottled water produces an estimated 32,200 tonnes of carbon dioxide, equivalent to the annual energy use of 6,000 homes.

Thames Water calculates that every litre of water from its taps accounts for 0.3 grammes of CO2 and costs 0.097p. By contrast, a 75cl bottle of water can cost several pounds in a restaurant and has a carbon footprint about 300 times higher.

When he was chancellor, Tory Norman Lamont felt so embarrassed at carrying a bottle of Scotch whisky into the Commons for his Budget Tipple that he hid it in the famous red Budget box.

This meant his speech had to be carried under the arm of his Commons aide, a young William Hague.

Mr (now Lord) Lamont preferred Highland Park whisky with mineral water.

Of other modern-day Tory chancellors, Geoffrey Howe chose gin and tonic, Kenneth Clarke Glenfarclas Scotch and Nigel Lawson a variety including Ashbourne Water and a mixture of wine and Malvern water. Labour's Dennis Healey preferred brandy with water.