As previously reported, existing London Assembly Member Jenny Jones, former policy co-ordinator Shahrar Ali and Farid Bakht, the party’s candidate for the Bow and Bethnal Green constituency in last year’s General Election are all hoping secure the nomination.
The party is hoping the presence of the Liberal Democrats in the coalition will enable it to ‘fill a gap’ and increase its share of the vote.
Jones said next year’s contest would be “an opportunity for us to explain our alternative to the disastrous cuts programme of the coalition government and explain that going green creates jobs, saves money and protects the planet.”
Mr Bakht said he wanted to use the campaign to “demolish the myth that we are a white, middle class party interested only in a narrow agenda and not in tune with people’s everyday lives.”
If selected Mr Ali promised he would “provide voters with a strong, Green alternative to business-as-usual politics.”
The candidates will now take part in a number of internal party hustings ahead of a ballot of London Green Party members. The name of the selected candidate will be announced on Sunday March 20th.
Whoever is selected will take on incumbent Mayor Boris Johnson and Labour’s Ken Livingstone next May. The Liberal Democrats have yet to select a candidate.
