Sian Berry, Green Party councillor for Highgate, Camden council

Sian Berry is a former principal speaker of the Green Party. She previously stood for Mayor of London in 2008 and was elected to Camden Council in 2014. An Oxford-educated scientist, she was a medical copywriter before working for the Campaign for Better Transport. As an activist, she campaigned successfully for the introduction of a higher congestion charge in London for 4x4s. She also took up an idea from a plumber’s merchant on a Downing Street petition which led to the Labour government’s boiler scrappage scheme. Her main campaign themes are fairer housing, better transport and cutting air pollution.

George Galloway, Respect

George Galloway is candidate for Mayor of London 2016. He joined the Labour Party at the age of 13 and was elected Labour Member of Parliament for Glasgow Hillhead in 1987 defeating former Chancellor and Home Secretary Roy Jenkins. His statements on the Iraq war in 2003 saw him expelled from Labour by the then Prime Minister Tony Blair. George continued his political mission and twice defeated Labour in its strongholds of Bethnal Green & Bow in London in 2005 and Bradford West in 2012.

George Galloway writes books, presents television programmes and radio shows and he makes films. He is known for his oratory skills as his world famous appearance at the US Senate in 2005 made clear.

Zac Goldsmith, Conservative MP for Richmond Park and North Kingston

Zac Goldsmith was born and raised in London. In 2010 he was elected MP for Richmond Park, the area where he grew up. He rejected the chance of promotion so he could stay independent and focus on his constituents. As an MP he’s delivered for his constituents on the issues that matter to them: securing free parking on local high streets, stopping the selloff of school playing fields, landing funds for Kew Gardens, and standing up to the Government on Heathrow expansion. Because of this record, at the last election his community rewarded him with one of the biggest increased majorities in the country. Shortly after, they backed him to run for Mayor of London.

Since then he’s wasted no time in using his candidacy to get things done for Londoners. This includes working with Boris to protect spending on the police, and working with the Government to change the Housing Bill so London doesn’t lose out.

Before entering politics Zac ran The Ecologist magazine, turning a small environmental journal into a campaigning force that helped set the agenda on issues like clean energy and sustainable farming.

Sadiq Khan, Labour MP for Tooting

Sadiq’s story is a London story. The son of immigrants whose father worked as a bus driver, Sadiq grew up on a council estate in South London and attended local state schools, as his teenage daughters do today. After university he became a human rights lawyer, helping to run a successful business. In 2005 he became MP for the Tooting constituency where he’s lived all his life. Sadiq served as communities minister and later as transport minister became the first Muslim to attend cabinet – leading on major projects including Crossrail 1. Sadiq wants all Londoners to have the same opportunities he had: affordable housing, decent pay and the chance to get on in life.

Caroline Pidgeon, The leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group

Caroline was elected to the London Assembly in May 2008 and has a strong track record of campaigning on issues such as strong policing and improved public transport. She is Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, Deputy Chair of the London Assembly's Transport Committee and Deputy Chair of the Police and Crime Committee. Caroline leads for the Group on Transport, Policing and Education issues in London. Caroline has been a Trustee of the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education in Waterloo since 2005.Caroline was a member of the Metropolitan Police Authority between 2008 and 2012 and the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority between 2008 and 2010. Caroline was a Liberal Democrat Councillor in Southwark between 1998 and 2010 during which time she held several posts including Deputy Leader of Southwark Council and Executive Member for Children’s Services and Education. Caroline was also a Board Member of Lambeth and Southwark Housing Association between 2002 and 2010.

Peter Whittle, UKIP culture spokesman

Peter stood in Eltham at the general election, and has been UKIP's culture spokesman for the past two years. Born and educated in London, he founded the New Culture Forum think tank in 2006. Before that, he was a producer and director of arts and factual programming, making documentaries for ITV, Channel Four, Five as well as for American TV networks. The author of six books, Peter has also written extensively for the national and international press, including the Sunday Times and LA Times, and most recently wrote the regular Whittle's London column in Standpoint magazine. He lives in Woolwich.

Royal Geographical Society Exhibition Road (junction of Exhibition Road and Kensington Gore) SW7 2AR , 6:30pm Wednesday 3rd February 2016. Doors open 5:45pm. Admission is free but strictly by ticket only

Panel



Sian Berry

Green Party councillor for Highgate, Camden council

George Galloway

Respect

Zac Goldsmith

Conservative MP for Richmond Park and North Kingston

Sadiq Khan

Labour MP for Tooting

Caroline Pidgeon

The leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group

Peter Whittle

UKIP culture spokesman

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