Elliot Folan kicks off the Youth Parliament Campaign

Today is the big launch meeting with, er, me and Elliot strategising how to win the Green Party's first MYP. You can hear the voices of young people on www.bbc.co.uk/parliament and then find Youth Parliament.

Some good discussions have been going on. We already have the support of Alex Clayman who made a successful student demo happen here in Finchley, where I'm going to be going to this big launch meeting. I hope Elliot shows up and signs my nomination paper. So far I have many celebrities signing including Jonathan Bartley, the new head of the Yes 2 fairer votes campaign. Since there are in the Green Party more former committee members than current ones, I've obtained the signature of almost retired former treasurer of Lambeth Green Party, Stephen Norman of SW2. In the meeting we resolved to jointly appoint a returning officer for a postal or electronic ballot of both Lambeth & Southwark for the joint constituency, which formally starts selecting its candidates after the mayoral count on the 19th March, all things permitting. Noel advised me not to worry about who signs the paper, but as I see it, it's vital to have Elliot's support, as it's vital that I currently have the support of Young Greens based in Colindale, Tower Hamlets, Richmond + Twickenham, Southwark, Hammersmith, Ladywell, and East Finchley. I used to be on the Young Greens National Committee and this regional dimension is a really good way to keep that political base alive. So far I have a really representative list of my contacts in the Young Greens, minus Elliot, Marek, and Charlotte's. Admittedly 8 of the 10+ Young Green members who've nominated me are male, but I could actually end up actually representing Young Greens alongside Marek and Charlotte.

Today we heard that a politician was shot in the head and is unconscious. I hope we will find time to send our prayers which go out across the Atlantic, that this violent act is does not result in the death of one of the most Democratic parties I know...

Back to the subject of the Youth Parliament: Elliot plans to address a number of assemblies about it. I must dig out my CRB so I can go in and take a stand for renewed democracy.

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