Greens elect Sian Berry as their Mayoral candidate and name their GLA Assembly list

The candidiates book-ended by Jenny Jones and Natalie Bennett

The London Green Party announced this afternoon that Sian Berry will be their candidate for the London Mayoral election in 2015.

She declared,  "London and its land belongs to all of us."

This is what she said in her campaigning statement:
 

For too long our city has been run for the powerful and privileged. But people are refusing to sit quietly. London is full of amazing communities and campaigns building a new kind of politics. In Europe’s other great cities, citizens are voting for real change on the crest of this wave of activism. Why should London miss out?

I ran for Mayor in 2008 taking us from 7th to 4th, winning endorsements from the Independent and Observer. Back then, London Green Party had around 1,000 members – now we have the talent of 12,000. I’m determined we give Londoners the big, open, inspiring campaign they deserve.

As Green candidate for Mayor, I’ll stand up for the 99%

I want Londoners to shape our manifesto, holding open meetings with communities and campaigners on:

• Making housing and rents affordable – brutally neglected by the current Mayor
• Rethinking policing – do we want officers spying on campaigners or investigating tax fraud?
• Reinventing the City – our international finance experts should be creating new ways of doing business that don’t exploit the majority
• Getting to grips with killer air pollution – cutting traffic, reducing fares, and making cycling safe

The Green Party List as voted by members was also announced. Seats are allocated on the position on the list and the overall number of vote for the Green Party in the GLA election. The more votes we get the more canadidiates from the list become Assembly Members,  In the last GLA election the top two, Jenny Jones and Darren Johnson, were elected to the Assembly.

List in order:

1. Sian Berrry
2. Caroline Russell
3. .Jonathan Bartley
4. Noel Lynch
5. Shahar Ali
6. Rashid Nix
7. Tom Chance
8. Benali Hamdache
9. Dee Searle
10. Andrea Carey Fuller
11. Rosemay Warrington

Green Party Mayoral candidates set out their stalls

The six candidates competing to be the Green Party’s London Mayoral candidate came head-to-head yesterday in their first major hustings event.

Councillor’s Sian Berry and Caroline Russell, Party Spokespeople Benali Hamdache, Tom Chance and Jonathan Bartley, and activist and mentor Rashid Nix were quizzed by an audience of over 200 at London’s Birkbeck University.

Debating their campaign priorities and vision for the future of London, the discussion ranged from solving London’s housing crisis, tackling wage inequality, and action on climate change.

Jonathan Bartley said:

"This is a make or break moment for the Green Party in London. It must seize the moment and demonstrate it has come of age. We must reach out beyond our usual core issues and strongholds, and show that we have an offer for every Londoner in every borough.”

Sian Berry said:

“If selected I'll work with campaigns and communities across London and help bring their energy into our campaign. Jenny and Darren’s nearly sixteen years in City Hall have turned the Greens into an established and respected voice, and we can help make this Mayoral election about the people, not just a person.”

Tom Chance said:

“I will work with campaigners and community groups for a London with genuinely affordable housing, more equal pay and streets for people instead of cars. Greens can give people hope of radical changes, with credible policies. I have the experience and expertise to win London to our cause.”

Benali Hamdache said:

“Every day in this city brilliant ideas are formed, great projects realised and creativity flows. We must preserve this dynamism. Inaction over soaring housing, rising costs of transport and toxic air pollution can only threaten our city. Only a Green mayor can deliver the change needed to keep London great.” 

Rashid Nix said:

“The Greens represent an idea whose time has come. After 16 years of red and blue politics, London has become a tale of two cities teetering on the edge of a social and environmental abyss. London makes dollars, but not much sense! The Green message should be broadcast from every rooftop without a solar panel.”

Caroline Russell said:

"I love London, but I believe it can be even better.  It can be both the world's greatest city and the world's greenest city – but only if everyone, from the wealthiest to the poorest, shares in its success. I want London’s dynamic economy to lead a worldwide revolution in social innovation and green technology, with a Mayor committed to ensuring that the benefits are truly shared with everyone who lives here."

The candidates will each now take part in a series of local party hustings. Members have until the end of August to vote for their preferred candidate. The party expects to announce the winner of the ballot in the first week of September.