While local Labour groups go through the motions of “nominating” Dame Tessa Jowell towards becoming the party’s candidate for London Mayor next year, and the Tories – with the exception of Michael Gove’s former flatmate Ivan Massow – feign disinterest, a Green activist based near Crystal Palace has declared himself as being in the running for the 2016 elections.
Tom Chance, right, campaigning recently with Croydon’s Shasha Khan and the Greens’ West Norwood candidate Rashid Nix
Tom Chance is the Greens’ spokesman on housing.
He stood at the General Election in one of the constituencies which neighbour Crystal Palace, Lewisham West and Penge, where he finished third with 8.5 per cent of the vote, one of the strongest Green Party results in the capital.
Chance’s policies include a London housing co-operative to help council tenants take control of their estate regeneration (that’ll be music to Steve Reed OBE’s ears. Not), seize empty investor flats and rent them out on secure tenancies, and he’d invest at least £80 million over four years in fitting solar panels on schools, homes and workplaces.
Chance is also seeking selection as a London Assembly candidate. “Greens working with campaigns and community groups can take London back from the speculators leaving flats empty and the developers building unaffordable homes,” he told MayorWatch.
“We can give a voice to every tenant facing rent hikes or eviction, every council estate facing demolition, and every first time buyer fed up with being priced out by buy-to-let landlords.”
Sian Berry, the Greens’ Mayoral candidate in 2008, has already declared her intention to seek selection to run for Mayor. Nominations open on Monday before a ballot of party members, with the Greens expected to announce their candidate on September 2.
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Are Labour groups really toying with Tessa Jowell? I would have thought Sadiq Khan was a more likely winner of uncommited voters.
Or have I missed the point? Is Labour still more interested in gesture politics than winning elections?
Tessa Jowell is the favourite, Khan and Lammy seem to be the other likely winners. The election tends to be decided by second preferences, Labour need a strong contender to pick up #2 votes from Greens and Lib Dems.
Good to see Tom running for the Greens, anyway. They have some strong ideas on housing, the election will be a good way to get those out to a wider audience.