Following the successful implementation of many of the policies from its 2004 manifesto, the Green Party launched its 2008 manifesto for London with a cutting edge set of ideas that Green Assembly members fully expect to see implemented in the next term.
Under the banner "Change London for Good" the manifesto builds on the successes of the previous term with the clear message that the more Greens there are elected to the London Assembly, the greener, cleaner and more affordable London can become.
Key Green policies include:
- 20p off all bus and off-peak tube fares – cancel £500 million east London roadbuilding scheme and invest in public transport instead
- Free insulation available to everyone;
- Insist all employers pay a Living Wage of least £7.20 an hour
- More affordable housing with a 60% target for all new homes
- Cheap loans for renewable energy generation
- Support for small business, against big retailers, with 50% of space in new developments to be small units for local businesses, at affordable rents
- People-friendly speed limits – 20 mph everywhere except a small number of major routes
- Tube PPPs and rail services in London brought back into public control
- No airport expansion
Green Assembly Member, Jenny Jones, said, "Thanks to the Greens on the Assembly, London is putting into practice a cutting edge set of ideas for slashing emissions, improving the transport system and tackling low pay. London is way ahead of the rest of the UK and our manifesto shows how London can go further and faster in delivering real change if more Greens are elected to the London Assembly."
Green Mayor of London candidate, Siân Berry, who has a real chance of getting elected to the Assembly, said, "We have ensured that less well off Londoners have benefited from cheap insulation, now we want all Londoners to be able to insulate their homes for free. Many households have used the green homes service we initiated, now we want to end fuel poverty in London for good by making sure no-one is left out."
Green Assembly Member, Darren Johnson, commented, "It is widely acknowledged that the fact that more Londoners are cycling to work, insulating their homes and benefiting from the London Living Wage, has a lot to do with the work Greens have done on the London Assembly and our budget agreement with the London Mayor. The more Greens Londoners elect to the Assembly, the more we can get done."