*Barnet Launch

Photo is from our Barnet Green Party Local Election Launch with Jean Lambert MEP.

From The Hendon Times:

MEP Jean Lambert backs Barnet Green Party's campaign launch at Tally Ho today
8:40am Saturday 10th April 2010



THE Barnet Green Party will be launching its council election campaign in North Finchley today with the help of a prominent European politician.

Green candidates for the May 6 elections in the borough will gather at the pollution monitor, in Tally Ho Corner, from 11am.

They will be joined by Jean Lambert, Green MEP for the London region, who said the news the Barnet Green Party is running a record slate of 51 people in 19 wards is “enormously encouraging”.

She said: “The Green Party needs a strong presence at local council level.

“I expect great things from this dynamic Barnet team and fully support their pledges on jobs, housing and insulation as a means of serving the community’s needs and addressing sustainability.”

Seasoned campaigners Noel Lynch, Andrew Newby and Steve Norman are contesting the party's target ward of East Finchley, where Mr Lynch achieved the party's highest Barnet vote in 2006.

Their candidate group in Mill Hill Ward features twin sisters Dilan and Dilem Kurt along with former borough councillor David Williams.

In Totteridge Ward, the Greens said Katie Margolis and Julie Rosenfield are aiming to build on the high vote achieved by Mr Newby in 2006, when he posted the second highest Green vote in the borough, beating Labour and Liberal Democrat candidates.

Mr Newby said he believes Barnet Council needs a strong Green group “to hold the administration to account not just on environmental policy but on jobs, housing, social issues and certainly planning”.

He added: “We are the fastest growing party in Barnet as in many parts of London and the country as a whole.

“In Barnet, the biggest ever slate reinforces our position as one of the four serious parties in the borough.”

Earlier this week, the Greens announced their election manifesto which included pledges to fight the Brent Cross Cricklewood redevelopment and to focus on specific issues relevant to each ward, including taking action on the Tally Ho pollution levels and campaigning for a regular bus service to Hampstead and the Royal Free Hospital.