Darren Johnson
Encyclopedia
Darren Paul Johnson is an English
politician and prominent member of the Green Party of England and Wales
. He represents the Green Party
in the London Assembly
and is the only Green
councillor in the London Borough of Lewisham
.
Johnson, who is openly
gay
, lives in Brockley
, Lewisham
, with his long-term partner and former borough councillor, Dean Walton.
in 1979 as a Conservative Party
candidate.
He lived in Hull
for three years before moving with a friend to Wembley
in London
in 1990. He also lived in Finsbury Park
and Golders Green
before settling in Lewisham
. His first job in London was "in accounts with an advertising firm in Goodge Street". He took a degree at Goldsmiths College (part of the University of London
) in 1994, eventually gaining a first-class BA (hons.) degree in Politics and Economics. He apparently "started to work on his PhD
until the London Assembly distracted him". He was also once a "paid consultant to Friends of the Earth
".
in 1987 at the age of 20 "after the Chernobyl Disaster", which "had a big impact" on him. He was Male Principal Speaker
of the party in 2002.
According to the Knitting Circle (a website with "resources on lesbian and gay issues"), his campaigning experience includes infiltrating "the military base at Aldershot dressed as Ivan the Terrible during an arms fair. He was saluted by the guards as he drove through the gates in a large limousine with tinted windows. He tried to buy arms with Monopoly money".
, Johnson was elected to the inaugural London Assembly as part of a three-strong Green
Group, including Jenny Jones
AM and Victor Anderson
(who resigned in March 2003 and was replaced by Noel Lynch
for the remainder of the term). The 2004 elections
would see the Greens
lose the seat held by Lynch, leaving Johnson and Jones as the two remaining members of the Green
Group. Both won re-election in the 2008 election
, when the Greens held on to their two seats. He served as Deputy Chair of the Assembly 2008-9 and was elected Chair of the Assembly in May 2009.
As a London Assembly Member, Johnson is Deputy Chair of the Business Management and Administration Committee, and a member of both the Budget and Performance Committee and the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority
(LFEPA). Johnson has issued a report on the sustainability measures involved planning for London’s hosting of the Olympics in 2012, and has also chaired an inquiry on nuclear waste trains for the London Assembly
. He is also Deputy Chair of the Environment Committee (after chairing between 2004/5 and 2008/09). The committee has produced a number of reports,
including investigations into the loss of street trees, and the effects of paving over front gardens in the city.
ward in the London Borough of Lewisham
, the Greens
' first councillor in Lewisham
, polling 1026 votes and coming top in the ward. He was re-elected in 2006, when the Greens
gained a further five seats on Lewisham London Borough Council
. He came top of the ward again, polling 1583 votes. In 2010, he was the only Green councillor in Lewisham to be re-elected.
In his time on Lewisham London Borough Council
, Johnson has been successful in getting the council to adopt a Fair Trade
policy. He has opposed the closure of Ladywell Leisure Centre
and put forward alternative sites for a new school. He successfully campaigned for a new pedestrian crossing on Brockley Road, secured improvements to the traffic calming scheme and managed to halt evictions at St Norberts Allotments. He is or has been a member of Lewisham London Borough Council
's Council Urgency Committee, Elections Committee, Licensing (Supplementary) Committee, Licensing Committee, Overview and Scrutiny Committee and Marsha Phoenix Memorial Trust. He has represented Lewisham London Borough Council
on the Local Government Association
General Assembly.
's candidate for Mayor of London
in 2000 and 2004. In the 2000 election
, he won 2.2% of first preference votes (38,121 votes), taking sixth place. He also came third in unallocated second preference votes with 192,764 second preferences (13.6%), thus coming fifth overall. In the 2004 election
, he received 57,331 votes in the first round (2.9%) taking seventh place, and took 10.9% of unallocated second preferences (208,686).
Johnson chose not to seek selection as mayoral candidate for a third time. On 12 March 2007, the London Green Party
voted to select Siân Berry
as their mayoral candidate in the 2008 mayoral election
, replacing Johnson.
's parliamentary candidate in the Lewisham Deptford constituency. He came fourth in the constituency in the 2001 general election
, polling 1,901 votes (6.5%). In the 2005 general election
, Johnson, backed by the Fire Brigades Union
(after being the only London Assembly member to vote against cuts in the brigade), received 11.1% of the votes (3,367 votes), coming fourth. In the 2010 General Election he came fourth again but his votes slipped back to 2,772 (6.7%).
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
politician and prominent member of the Green Party of England and Wales
Green Party of England and Wales
The Green Party of England and Wales is a political party in England and Wales which follows the traditions of Green politics and maintains a strong commitment to social progressivism. It is the largest Green party in the United Kingdom, containing within it various regional divisions including...
. He represents the Green Party
Green Party of England and Wales
The Green Party of England and Wales is a political party in England and Wales which follows the traditions of Green politics and maintains a strong commitment to social progressivism. It is the largest Green party in the United Kingdom, containing within it various regional divisions including...
in the London Assembly
London Assembly
The London Assembly is an elected body, part of the Greater London Authority, that scrutinises the activities of the Mayor of London and has the power, with a two-thirds majority, to amend the mayor's annual budget. The assembly was established in 2000 and is headquartered at City Hall on the south...
and is the only Green
Green Party of England and Wales
The Green Party of England and Wales is a political party in England and Wales which follows the traditions of Green politics and maintains a strong commitment to social progressivism. It is the largest Green party in the United Kingdom, containing within it various regional divisions including...
councillor in the London Borough of Lewisham
London Borough of Lewisham
The London Borough of Lewisham is a London borough in south-east London, England and forms part of Inner London. The principal settlement of the borough is Lewisham...
.
Johnson, who is openly
Coming out
Coming out is a figure of speech for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people's disclosure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity....
gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
, lives in Brockley
Brockley
Brockley is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Lewisham. It is situated south-east of Charing Cross.It is covered by the London postcode districts SE4 and SE14.-History:...
, Lewisham
Lewisham
Lewisham is a district in South London, England, located in the London Borough of Lewisham. It is situated south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
, with his long-term partner and former borough councillor, Dean Walton.
Early life and career
At school, Johnson studied A-Levels in English, Theatre Studies and Journalistic Studies. Johnson admitted to his "shame" that his first foray into politics was standing in a school mock electionMock election
A mock election is an election organized for educational or transformative purposes.- Mock election for educational purposes :...
in 1979 as a Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
candidate.
He lived in Hull
Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
for three years before moving with a friend to Wembley
Wembley
Wembley is an area of northwest London, England, and part of the London Borough of Brent. It is home to the famous Wembley Stadium and Wembley Arena...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1990. He also lived in Finsbury Park
Finsbury Park, London
Finsbury Park is an area in north London, England which grew up around an important railway interchange at the junction of the London Boroughs of Islington, Haringey and Hackney...
and Golders Green
Golders Green
Golders Green is an area in the London Borough of Barnet in London, England. Although having some earlier history, it is essentially a 19th century suburban development situated about 5.3 miles north west of Charing Cross and centred on the crossroads of Golders Green Road and Finchley Road.In the...
before settling in Lewisham
Lewisham
Lewisham is a district in South London, England, located in the London Borough of Lewisham. It is situated south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
. His first job in London was "in accounts with an advertising firm in Goodge Street". He took a degree at Goldsmiths College (part of the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
) in 1994, eventually gaining a first-class BA (hons.) degree in Politics and Economics. He apparently "started to work on his PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
until the London Assembly distracted him". He was also once a "paid consultant to Friends of the Earth
Friends of the Earth
Friends of the Earth International is an international network of environmental organizations in 76 countries.FOEI is assisted by a small secretariat which provides support for the network and its agreed major campaigns...
".
Political career
Johnson joined the Green PartyGreen Party (UK)
The Green Party was a Green political party in the United Kingdom. It has been succeeded by three political parties:* the Green Party of England and Wales* the Green Party in Northern Ireland* the Scottish Green Party- PEOPLE, 1973–1975 :...
in 1987 at the age of 20 "after the Chernobyl Disaster", which "had a big impact" on him. He was Male Principal Speaker
Principal Speaker
Principal Speakers were the public spokespersons of the Green Party of England and Wales but have since been replaced in the party by a national Leader and Deputy Leader...
of the party in 2002.
According to the Knitting Circle (a website with "resources on lesbian and gay issues"), his campaigning experience includes infiltrating "the military base at Aldershot dressed as Ivan the Terrible during an arms fair. He was saluted by the guards as he drove through the gates in a large limousine with tinted windows. He tried to buy arms with Monopoly money".
London Assembly member
In 2000London Assembly election, 2000
The first elections for members of the London Assembly were held on 4 May 2000, alongside the first mayoral election.The assembly elections used the Mixed member proportional representation, a form of Additional member system, with 14 directly elected constituencies and 11 London-wide top-up...
, Johnson was elected to the inaugural London Assembly as part of a three-strong Green
Green Party of England and Wales
The Green Party of England and Wales is a political party in England and Wales which follows the traditions of Green politics and maintains a strong commitment to social progressivism. It is the largest Green party in the United Kingdom, containing within it various regional divisions including...
Group, including Jenny Jones
Jenny Jones (Green politician)
Jenny Jones is an English politician and prominent member of the Green Party of England and Wales. She currently represents the Green Party in the London Assembly, and is standing to be Mayor of London in the 2012 elections. She was Deputy Mayor of London from May 2003 to June 2004...
AM and Victor Anderson
Victor Anderson (Green politician)
Victor Anderson is a former London Assembly member, serving from 4 May 2000 to March 2003.He worked as a researcher for Plaid Cymru-Green MP Cynog Dafis, as part of the deal that brought Dafis the Green Party's support....
(who resigned in March 2003 and was replaced by Noel Lynch
Noel Lynch
Noel Lynch is a politician living in England and a prominent member of the Green Party of England and Wales. He represented the Green Party on the London Assembly between 2 May 2003 and 10 June 2004, after replacing Victor Anderson who resigned. Due to a fall in the Green vote, he did not retain...
for the remainder of the term). The 2004 elections
London Assembly election, 2004
An election to the Assembly of London took place on 10 June 2004, along with the London mayoral election, 2004.The Assembly is elected by the Additional Member System. There are fourteen directly elected constituencies, nine of which were won by the Conservatives and five by the Labour Party...
would see the Greens
Green Party of England and Wales
The Green Party of England and Wales is a political party in England and Wales which follows the traditions of Green politics and maintains a strong commitment to social progressivism. It is the largest Green party in the United Kingdom, containing within it various regional divisions including...
lose the seat held by Lynch, leaving Johnson and Jones as the two remaining members of the Green
Green Party of England and Wales
The Green Party of England and Wales is a political party in England and Wales which follows the traditions of Green politics and maintains a strong commitment to social progressivism. It is the largest Green party in the United Kingdom, containing within it various regional divisions including...
Group. Both won re-election in the 2008 election
London Assembly election, 2008
An election to the Assembly of London took place on 1 May 2008, along with the London mayoral election, 2008. The Conservatives gained 2 seats, Labour gained one seat, the Liberal Democrats lost two seats, and United Kingdom Independence Party or One London as they became were wiped out...
, when the Greens held on to their two seats. He served as Deputy Chair of the Assembly 2008-9 and was elected Chair of the Assembly in May 2009.
As a London Assembly Member, Johnson is Deputy Chair of the Business Management and Administration Committee, and a member of both the Budget and Performance Committee and the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority
London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority
The London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority is a functional body of the Greater London Authority and was established under the Greater London Authority Act 1999. Its principal purpose is to run the London Fire Brigade....
(LFEPA). Johnson has issued a report on the sustainability measures involved planning for London’s hosting of the Olympics in 2012, and has also chaired an inquiry on nuclear waste trains for the London Assembly
London Assembly
The London Assembly is an elected body, part of the Greater London Authority, that scrutinises the activities of the Mayor of London and has the power, with a two-thirds majority, to amend the mayor's annual budget. The assembly was established in 2000 and is headquartered at City Hall on the south...
. He is also Deputy Chair of the Environment Committee (after chairing between 2004/5 and 2008/09). The committee has produced a number of reports,
including investigations into the loss of street trees, and the effects of paving over front gardens in the city.
Lewisham councillor
In the 2002 local elections, Johnson was elected as a councillor for the BrockleyBrockley
Brockley is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Lewisham. It is situated south-east of Charing Cross.It is covered by the London postcode districts SE4 and SE14.-History:...
ward in the London Borough of Lewisham
London Borough of Lewisham
The London Borough of Lewisham is a London borough in south-east London, England and forms part of Inner London. The principal settlement of the borough is Lewisham...
, the Greens
Green Party of England and Wales
The Green Party of England and Wales is a political party in England and Wales which follows the traditions of Green politics and maintains a strong commitment to social progressivism. It is the largest Green party in the United Kingdom, containing within it various regional divisions including...
' first councillor in Lewisham
London Borough of Lewisham
The London Borough of Lewisham is a London borough in south-east London, England and forms part of Inner London. The principal settlement of the borough is Lewisham...
, polling 1026 votes and coming top in the ward. He was re-elected in 2006, when the Greens
Green Party of England and Wales
The Green Party of England and Wales is a political party in England and Wales which follows the traditions of Green politics and maintains a strong commitment to social progressivism. It is the largest Green party in the United Kingdom, containing within it various regional divisions including...
gained a further five seats on Lewisham London Borough Council
Lewisham London Borough Council
Lewisham London Borough Council is the local authority for the London Borough of Lewisham in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council, one of 32 in the United Kingdom capital of London. The council is unusual in that its executive function is controlled by a directly elected mayor of...
. He came top of the ward again, polling 1583 votes. In 2010, he was the only Green councillor in Lewisham to be re-elected.
In his time on Lewisham London Borough Council
Lewisham London Borough Council
Lewisham London Borough Council is the local authority for the London Borough of Lewisham in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council, one of 32 in the United Kingdom capital of London. The council is unusual in that its executive function is controlled by a directly elected mayor of...
, Johnson has been successful in getting the council to adopt a Fair Trade
Fair trade
Fair trade is an organized social movement and market-based approach that aims to help producers in developing countries make better trading conditions and promote sustainability. The movement advocates the payment of a higher price to producers as well as higher social and environmental standards...
policy. He has opposed the closure of Ladywell Leisure Centre
Ladywell Leisure Centre
Ladywell Leisure Centre is a leisure centre located in Lewisham, London. The leisure centre is owned by London Borough of Lewisham and managed on their behalf by Lifestyle Fusion...
and put forward alternative sites for a new school. He successfully campaigned for a new pedestrian crossing on Brockley Road, secured improvements to the traffic calming scheme and managed to halt evictions at St Norberts Allotments. He is or has been a member of Lewisham London Borough Council
Lewisham London Borough Council
Lewisham London Borough Council is the local authority for the London Borough of Lewisham in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council, one of 32 in the United Kingdom capital of London. The council is unusual in that its executive function is controlled by a directly elected mayor of...
's Council Urgency Committee, Elections Committee, Licensing (Supplementary) Committee, Licensing Committee, Overview and Scrutiny Committee and Marsha Phoenix Memorial Trust. He has represented Lewisham London Borough Council
Lewisham London Borough Council
Lewisham London Borough Council is the local authority for the London Borough of Lewisham in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council, one of 32 in the United Kingdom capital of London. The council is unusual in that its executive function is controlled by a directly elected mayor of...
on the Local Government Association
Local Government Association
The Local Government Association is a voluntary lobbying organisation acting as the voice of the local government sector in England and Wales, which seeks to be an authoritative and effective advocate on its behalf....
General Assembly.
Mayoral candidate
Johnson was the Green PartyGreen Party of England and Wales
The Green Party of England and Wales is a political party in England and Wales which follows the traditions of Green politics and maintains a strong commitment to social progressivism. It is the largest Green party in the United Kingdom, containing within it various regional divisions including...
's candidate for Mayor of London
Mayor of London
The Mayor of London is an elected politician who, along with the London Assembly of 25 members, is accountable for the strategic government of Greater London. Conservative Boris Johnson has held the position since 4 May 2008...
in 2000 and 2004. In the 2000 election
London mayoral election, 2004
The 2004 election to the post of Mayor of London took place on 10 June 2004. It was being held on the same day as other local elections and the UK part of the 2004 European Parliament elections, so Londoners had a total of five votes on three ballot papers. Polling opened at 07:00 local time, and...
, he won 2.2% of first preference votes (38,121 votes), taking sixth place. He also came third in unallocated second preference votes with 192,764 second preferences (13.6%), thus coming fifth overall. In the 2004 election
London mayoral election, 2004
The 2004 election to the post of Mayor of London took place on 10 June 2004. It was being held on the same day as other local elections and the UK part of the 2004 European Parliament elections, so Londoners had a total of five votes on three ballot papers. Polling opened at 07:00 local time, and...
, he received 57,331 votes in the first round (2.9%) taking seventh place, and took 10.9% of unallocated second preferences (208,686).
Johnson chose not to seek selection as mayoral candidate for a third time. On 12 March 2007, the London Green Party
Green Party of England and Wales
The Green Party of England and Wales is a political party in England and Wales which follows the traditions of Green politics and maintains a strong commitment to social progressivism. It is the largest Green party in the United Kingdom, containing within it various regional divisions including...
voted to select Siân Berry
Siân Berry
Siân Berry is an English politician and member of the Green Party of England and Wales. From 2006 to 2007, she was one of the Green Party's Principal Speakers...
as their mayoral candidate in the 2008 mayoral election
London mayoral election, 2004
The 2004 election to the post of Mayor of London took place on 10 June 2004. It was being held on the same day as other local elections and the UK part of the 2004 European Parliament elections, so Londoners had a total of five votes on three ballot papers. Polling opened at 07:00 local time, and...
, replacing Johnson.
Parliamentary candidate
Johnson is the Green PartyGreen Party of England and Wales
The Green Party of England and Wales is a political party in England and Wales which follows the traditions of Green politics and maintains a strong commitment to social progressivism. It is the largest Green party in the United Kingdom, containing within it various regional divisions including...
's parliamentary candidate in the Lewisham Deptford constituency. He came fourth in the constituency in the 2001 general election
United Kingdom general election, 2001
The United Kingdom general election, 2001 was held on Thursday 7 June 2001 to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. It was dubbed "the quiet landslide" by the media, as the Labour Party was re-elected with another landslide result and only suffered a net loss of 6 seats...
, polling 1,901 votes (6.5%). In the 2005 general election
United Kingdom general election, 2005
The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160....
, Johnson, backed by the Fire Brigades Union
Fire Brigades Union
The Fire Brigades Union is a trade union in the United Kingdom for wholetime Firefighters , Retained Duty System and Emergency Control Room staff...
(after being the only London Assembly member to vote against cuts in the brigade), received 11.1% of the votes (3,367 votes), coming fourth. In the 2010 General Election he came fourth again but his votes slipped back to 2,772 (6.7%).