Last year, the Green Party entered Parliament, fulfilling our long-held ambition.
London was another matter. We lost most of our councillors and failed to retake Ladywell.
There is even talk, among some, of losing one of our Assembly Members in the 2012. I totally disagree.
The London Green Party has a great chance to not only retain its two Assembly Members, it can add more.
The Liberal Democrats are in disarray and in many boroughs we consistently score more votes than them – in the GLA and European elections (2008 & 2009) where there is some form of proportional representation.
Moreover, the Labour vote is soft and will be tested 16 months from now.
We have to do in London what our leader did in Brighton – offer a radical, green alternative to the three main parties.
Many Londoners will be hit particularly hard by coalition policies - young people and students, women, and people from ethnic minorities. We have to demonstrate our solidarity, our understanding and that we offer a better way.
Investment in free education and affordable public transport are vital for this city’s development and as candidate I would defend both.
With 15 years experience running small businesses, I want to take our message to this vital sector, to talk their language and explain why our party is their natural choice.
I was recently an International Coordinator for the Party, serving on the National Executive. I am a communicator on behalf at the party not only at rallies and meetings but by getting our message through to the ethnic minority press.
I am currently leading a working group on ethnic minorities. We can no longer ignore the one in three Londoners who are of foreign origin.
I stood as Parliamentary Candidate in Tower Hamlets and took the party into communities where we had been largely absent. This was done via ethnic TV, radio, newspapers, social media, stalls, meetings, networking and door-to-door conversations
We must engage with ethnic minorities who find our beliefs, ideas and policies are most in line with them – if only we would talk to them.
This is the strategic objective we must set ourselves.
By recruiting more ethnic minorities we will boost our electoral chances.
The Greens must reflect the city in gender, ethnicity and sexuality if its people are going to vote for us.
I joined the Green Party because for me it is the only one which has a coherent ideology to transform society for men & women, for young & the elderly.
I have been a Management Consultant, an entrepreneur & a freelance journalist.
I have a B.Sc in Economics (Wales) and M.Sc.in Development Planning (Bradford). Married, I have a 9 year old daughter & live in West London.
Half-Basque, half Bengali, born in Hackney, I speak Bengali and Spanish.
