Ken Votes No On Patio Heaters

Ken Livingstone has joined the anti-patio heaters brigade, which is sad news for all the smokers that will be huddled outside pub doors after the 1st July smoking ban. While he doesn't have the power to actually ban the heaters, he feels very strongly about their use and has urged retailers not to promote them.

Environmental group Friends of the Earth called for the ban of the heaters earlier this month, and garden centre chain Wyevale decided to stop selling them in April. While patio heaters do generate carbon emissions, leaving televisions on standby is responsible for 37 times more CO2 emissions in the UK.

So, before you get your knickers in a twist over the devastating effects of patio heaters, better make sure you're turning all your electrical appliances completely off and turn off the lights before you leave the house. We're sure Ken is very aware of his carbon footprint, and never boils a full kettle when making himself a cup of tea.

Image taken from Mike PD's Flickr photostream