The deputy mayor of Paris backed the Green party's London election campaign today, declaring that if the French could dump mineral water then the English could too.

Denis Baupin, a Green party politician who has driven his city's tap water carafe scheme, praised the Standard's Water on Tap campaign. He said the Greens were leading the way in Paris with cheap VÈlib bikes for hire and the discouragement of bottled water. But he said Paris could learn from Green plans in London to expand car clubs and 20mph speed limits across the city.

Mr Baupin joined mayoral candidate Si‚n Berry and Assembly member Jenny Jones on the campaign trail today. All four main candidates for Mayor have promised to set up an equivalent of the VÈlib scheme in London, but the Greens say they need a stronger presence on the Assembly to ensure the pledge is kept.

Mr Baupin said: "The Greens on the Assembly have promoted all the best ideas from Paris and I want to take back to Paris the best ideas from London."