*Green New Deal

From Darren Johnson. Green Party Member of the London Assembly:

Greens have been warning for several years that London's economy has been massively over-reliant on the financial services sector. It was folly to think we could rely so much on the City and the inevitable fluctuations in global finance to deliver London's jobs and economic prosperity. That is why Green Party Leader, Caroline Lucas MEP, unveiled proposals for a Green New Deal to get our economy on a more secure and a greener footing.

The plans are inspired by President Roosevelt's 'New Deal' - his comprehensive plan to pull the USA out of the Great Depression. This time, the Green New Deal is about providing solutions to the credit crisis, climate change and dwindling oil supplies. The Green New Deal proposes schemes like free insulation for every home and low cost loans for green energy projects, both of which would create many thousands of new jobs in green industries.

These, combined with measures to properly regulate the banking sector and crack down on tax evasion will help us beat the credit crunch, tackle unemployment and dramatically cut carbon emissions. It is definitely time for a change in direction.