Still riding high on their local election victories, the Green Party today announces its London Assembly list candidates, along with a fresh impetus and determination to double its existing two seats, currently held by Darren Johnson and Jenny Jones.
The list is striking in character, for not only are seven out of the eleven candidates women, members have re-elected the same three individuals for the top three positions as they did in the previous 2008 London Assembly elections. London Mayoral candidate Jenny Jones is given another strong vote of confidence with a guaranteed re-entry into the Assembly at the number one slot. Darren Johnson, a one time Chair of the London Assembly, is also given the thumbs up at number two, and Noel Lynch, who represented the Greens during 2003/4 is re-elected into third position.
Chair of the London Federation of Green Parties, Lynch says:
"Jenny and Darren have punched far above their weight during their 11 year tenure, helping to firmly establish the Greens as a party the public can trust. We have seen the Lib Dems lose votes to the Greens in the local elections and this is a pattern that could easily be repeated in next year’s Assembly elections. We have every reason to be optimistic of increasing our seats in 2012."
Newcomer, Natalie Bennett, the founding chair of the Green Party’s Women Group, is in at the crucial fourth position, bringing with her twenty years of experience as a journalist and a strong campaigning record within the party and her home area of Somers Town. Natalie says:
"Jenny and Darren have done a good job, particularly in the past difficult years with the frustrating and damaging Mayor Boris. I’d like to be in a strong position to support them in the coming campaign, part of a team working together to collect every possible vote."
The full Green Party list of London-wide Assembly candidates is as follows:
1. Jenny Jones
2. Darren Johnson
3. Noel Lynch
4. Natalie Bennett
5. Shahrar Ali
6. Farid Bakht
7. Sue Luxton
8. Caroline Allen
9. Romayne Phoenix
10. Caroline Russell
11. Andy Hewett