Brian Paddick

Liberal Democrats and many others in the London Assembly have reacted with disappointment to the news this morning that Ken Livingston and the Green party are to renew their co-operation bargain within the Assembly.

This bargain has given Ken the necessary votes allowing him to ignore the views and the scrutiny of opposition assembly members. As a result he has been able to get away with above inflation rises in the ‘mayor’s precept’ - the portion of council tax levied by the Mayor and paid by all London residents.

Responding to the news of Ken and the Green’s ‘common green agenda’, Brian Paddick stated:

“Anybody can exploit green issues for political purposes but the independent assessments of solutions to tackling climate change show the Liberal Democrats are the only party to have proposals that work. 

“We have the record of achievement and commitment to making London the greenest capital in Europe.”

The Liberal Democrats have consistently received plaudits for their environmental stances. Speaking after the release of the party’s latest environmental proposals, ‘Zero Carbon Britain - Taking a Global Lead’, Tony Juniper of Friends of the Earth declared himself “delighted that the Liberal Democrats have come up with a range of progressive policies aimed at making the UK carbon neutral by 2050″. Furthermore, in a recent assessment of the policies of political parties by independent campaign group The Green Alliance, the Liberal Democrats received three ‘green stars’ compared to one for Ken’s Labour party and none for Boris’ Conservatives

In the London campaign, Brian has been meeting green campaigners all over the city as well as fighting hard against the proposed third runway at Heathrow. He is set to announce his full environment manifesto shortly.