Gordon launched for 2012

Green candidate Ross launches Croydon and Sutton London Assembly campaign with call for fairer pay

The Green Party’s Gordon Ross on Tuesday launched his campaign to become London Assembly member for Croydon and Sutton with a call to make London a ‘fair pay city.’

The Green Party’s Mayoral candidate, Jenny Jones, joined Ross at the event on the steps of Croydon Town Hall to launch the party’s 10:1 Campaign in the two boroughs. The campaign aims to reduce inequality in the capital by calling for businesses, councils and other employers in London to ensure that their highest-paid employee earns no more than 10 times the wages of their lowest-paid.

Gordon Ross, standing for the Greens in the Croydon and Sutton constituency, said: "The Green Party is campaigning for fair pay for Londoners.

“We want a 10:1 pay ratio, so that no-one in an organisation gets paid more than ten times the wage of the lowest earners. We went to ensure a Living Wage for Londoners, so everyone who is working has a decent standard of living.

”At a time when low wage earners are facing pay freezes, we think it’s only fair that there is a cap on the wages of top earners.”

Speaking about the Green campaign for the GLA, Ross said: “Greens want a fairer, cleaner, greener London.

”In this election every vote for the Greens counts. Getting more Greens elected would help improve life for all Londoners. I've seen what Greens have achieved where they've been elected, and like them I want to promote fairness, reduce inequality and help protect the environment."

Mayoral Candidate Jenny Jones said: “Many Londoners have seen their wages fall in real terms over the past few years. At the same time pay for those at the top has spiralled higher and higher creating vast inequalities that damage the economy and society. The 10:1 campaign is a simple, practical way of addressing this problem that many people are rightly concerned about.”

“Gordon has the energy and determination to bring Green ideas to the forefront of this election campaign. His tireless campaigning on issues such as waste and recycling, education, transport and against the South London incinerator is testament to his commitment to making London a cleaner, greener and fairer city.”

Ends

For further information please contact Joe Williams, the Green Party’s 2012 election campaign press officer, on 0207 549 0219 or joe.williams@greenparty.org.uk

Notes to editors
1. Gordon Ross is an editor for a national business and culture magazine. He has previously stood for Parliament as the Green Party candidate for Croydon South. He has been campaigning on social justice and environmental issues in Sutton and Croydon for the past three years, since moving to the area from Islington.
2. You can find out more information about the 10:1 campaign here: http://www.jennyforlondon.org/fair-pay-city/
3. Photos of Green Party candidates, including Jenny Jones, can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/gplondonphotos
4. A list of Green Party London policies can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/greenpolicies2012
5. A full list of Green Party candidates for the London Assembly elections can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/greencandidates
6. A list of achievements by the Green Party in the London Assembly can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/GPLondonachievements
7. The Green Party of England and Wales promotes the policies of ecological sustainability, a fairer more stable economy, a more equal society, a higher standard of democracy and accountability of politicians to the communities they serve, and social justice on the global level as well as in our own country.
8. Caroline Lucas became the UK’s first Green MP in the 2010 General Election.
9. The Green Party is now the largest party on Brighton and Hove Council.

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Tags croydon, greenparty