Sian Berry, the Green candidate in 2008, has announced that she hopes to represent the party again next May.
Since her last mayoral challenge, Ms Berry has been elected to Camden Council while the party has grown from just 1,000 members to more than 10,000.
She suggests that growing interest in smaller and new parties gives the Greens the opportunity to be “an ally in City Hall” to the capital’s diverse “communities, movements and campaigns” who are building a “new kind of politics.”
Announcing her bid, Cllr Berry said: “With 4,000 Londoners estimated to die early each year because of high-levels of air pollution, it’s vital we tackle this as a matter of urgency by reducing traffic, restricting the number of heavily-polluting vehicles, making cycling safer and reversing Boris’ rapid increases in the cost of public transport.
“We also need urgent action on housing, which is the greatest cause of inequality in London today.
“I would totally rewrite the London Plan and do much more to control rent costs, crack down on empty properties, and make sure we get the new generation of social housing we need.“
Nominations to be selected as the Green party’s Mayoral and London Assembly candidates open on 1 June and the result of the ballot of members will be announced on 2 September.
Party leader Natalie Bennett is also expected to enter the race.
