Former Green Party co-leader Siân Berry has confirmed she will re-stand for the London Assembly next year, despite having also been selected to contest Brighton Pavilion at the next general election.
Ms Berry, who was selected last month to attempt to replace Caroline Lucas MP in the Greens’ only parliamentary seat, said she still intends to re-stand as an Assembly Member (AM) in 2024 - provided that she has not become an MP by that point.
“If there’s been an election to Parliament, and I’ve become an MP, then obviously I wouldn’t seek to keep my current job as well,” she told the Standard.
“But while I haven’t got a different job to do, representing people, I’m going to keep representing the people of London.”
Ms Berry likewise confirmed that if she is elected as an MP after winning re-election as an AM, she will stand down from the Assembly.
While the date of next year’s Assembly election is fixed as May 2, 2024, a date has not been set for the general election - though it cannot take place any later than January 2025.
Ms Berry has been placed by party members at the top of the Greens’ list of London-wide Assembly candidates, who are elected using a proportional system.
When a London-wide member resigns from the Assembly, the seat is given to the next person on the party’s list of candidates put up at the last election, rather than a by-election being called.
The procedure was used when AMs such as David Lammy and Kemi Badenoch - both now senior MPs - decided to leave the Assembly mid-term, as they won seats in Parliament.
Ms Berry, a three-time London mayoral candidate, has also served as a councillor in Camden since 2014. The next borough election is not due until 2026.
Asked about her future in that post, Ms Berry said that for the time being she will remain on the council, because she has a number of local projects which she wants to see concluded.
Ms Berry was selected by Brighton and Hove Green members over two other candidates on July 19, after winning 71 per cent of the first preference votes.
“I was really pleased with the result. The amount of people who’ve come out already door-knocking with me is huge - we’ve had massive turnouts,” Ms Berry said.
“So people are obviously really keen to work with me - and to make sure that we keep that seat and win some more.”
