The race for London's mayoral elections has been hotting up in recent weeks, with the three main candidates regularly appearing in the media. But one candidate has been largely overlooked in the build-up to see who will govern London from
May 1.
Ken Livingstone, Boris Johnson and Brian Paddick have all garnered hefty column inches both locally
and in the national press but some people may not even be aware that Green Party candidate Sian Berry is also in the race.
So this week, the Green Guardian examines some of Ms Berry's policies in the run-up to the elections.
On airport expansion:
"Instead of airport expansion, we need better ground transport. Cheap flights have opened the world up to many more than the privileged few who originally took to flying but I think most reasonable people will be happy to fly a little less if we provide good sustainable transport alternatives."
On free insulation:
"I intend to roll out a massive programme to give free insulation to every home in London. Unbelievably, almost half of the capital's carbon
dioxide emissions come from our poorly insulated homes. Therefore, one simple programme such as
this will not only have a really beneficial effect on the climate, it will help a lot of Londoners who are struggling to pay rising fuel bills."
On renewable energy:
"As Mayor of London, I would have solar panels up and running on 100,000 roofs by 2015 and I would
give free loans to householders, community groups and businesses. I would commission street-by-street surveys to identify the best sites for renewables. And anyone in London who wants to generate their own energy would get detailed help with the paperwork instead of a blank stare from planners.
On affordable housing:
"If you ask most Londoners what their single biggest financial hurdle is, it's the cost of getting a roof over their heads. This is quickly followed by keeping it there. While developers
throw up thousands of luxury flats, the city is crying out for good quality housing that ordinary people can afford.
"I'll use tough planning rules to make sure developers include real affordable housing in all new developments."
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