David Urban

Bright Green is offering all the candidates standing to be on the Green Party’s list for the 2024 London Assembly election the opportunity to set out why they are standing and their vision for London. This article is published as part of that series. The full series of articles can be found here.

Communication is the key. We have great ideas, brilliant people and deliver positive outcomes for so many, but so few see the results. The success stories, the human element that’s so central to our collective mission is absent. I am here to change that, to amplify our accomplishments, to translate local wins into city-wide reform, bringing the Green Party into the mainstream.

As a journalist, I understand the value of narrative in persuading others. Recognising the London Assembly operates by public consultation, the sure way to influence other members and the mayor to get great green policies ratified, is to communicate the success stories for whom the policy would help. I have done this myself, from freelance reporting on issues related to the environment and working with climate start-ups like 10:10 (now Possible) to getting global institutions like UNESCO to back my ideas and inspire others into action.

During my career I’ve also worked in global newsrooms with a particular focus on business and the economy, so I take an interest in fiscal matters and financial markets. I view the inevitable transition to a greener, circular economy as a huge opportunity not just for the country at large but local communities and individuals too. There are win-wins out there, ways individuals can make or save money and protect our planet simultaneously. Communicating this is critical too if we are to avoid alienating a growing section of voters who care about the environment, but are scared voting for us because of a perceived lack of credibility on the economy.

I haven’t sat on my hands either! I want to know now, what people need, what they’re missing, and what would persuade them to give us their vote. I go out every Monday knocking on doors locally to meet constituents, building a tally of key issues in the area, mapping out which homes, streets and neighbourhoods lean green and best serve us to focus on, offering solutions only the Green Party can deliver.

I know how to make arguments that appeal across the political floor, to anticipate and counter pushback. I maintain a balance of opinion and news in my life. I read the Guardian’s op-eds as much as I do the Telegraph’s. I subscribe to a wide range of media and follow people whose world view I plainly disagree with. I will embody that philosophy of open-mindedness and inclusivity during my London Assembly campaign for the Green Party.

The jobs of journalists and politicians overlap – I am in the business of extracting and publicising information, of explaining, of leading, and of persuading. In this election you are selecting a team. A mixture of backgrounds, experiences, ethnicities and ages should gel well and complement one another. There isn’t another journalist up for election on the London Assembly with my skills and proven track record in communicating a message to both sides of the political divide. Put me high on your preferences to amplify everyone else on the team and together we will turn London green.

You find out my 3 key policy priorities for London here.

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