Unexpected boost to Green Campaign: Observer backs Sian

First it was the Evening Stanard writing a piece on granny basher Tories and now the Observer has come out in favour of a first preference vote for Sian Berry! I don't think anyone was expecting that.

Today's leader says "With little to distinguish in policy between the two main candidates and much to dislike in their style, voters may reasonably be inclined to punish them both. Happily, the electoral system neatly accommodates that impulse. No candidate is likely to win an outright majority of 'first preference' votes, so those can be spent endorsing an outsider.

"The traditional beneficiaries of protest voting - the Liberal Democrats - have failed to make an impact in the campaign. Their candidate, Brian Paddick, is undoubtedly a decent man, but he has been out of his depth as a politician. There is a stronger case to be made for casting 'first preference' votes for Siân Berry, the Green candidate. The party has already used its toehold on the London Assembly to wring green concessions worth millions of pounds out of the mayoral budget. A respectable score for Ms Berry, an intelligent and articulate advocate of her cause, would send a clear signal to whoever wins the mayoralty that London cares about environmental policy. It would also deprive the British National Party of fourth place, a small but notable step towards the mainstream."

Of course, whilst extra Mayoral votes are a powerful message to send out about what kind of London we want to see it is the assembly list election that will decide whether the Greens have two, three or four assembly members - which will have a deep impact on the assembly's direction of the next four years.