HIGHGATE councillor Sian Berry said tonight (Wednesday) that she hoped to capitalise on the surge in support for left-wing Labour leadership contender Jeremy Corbyn as she was named the Green Party’s mayoral candidate.

She said: “These are exciting political times where we’ve seen anything could happen. It has not been a Labour Party surge this summer, it is a Corbyn surge and a lot of what he has being suggesting has been things that the Greens have been saying for a long time. We’re a welcoming party. We wouldn’t say they can’t support us because they’ve voted for Jeremy Corbyn.”

As she embarked on the eight-month race to next May’s elections, she insisted that she was not 'doing a Boris' by chasing too many political jobs. The Tory London mayor has come under criticism for becoming an MP in Uxbridge while still No 1 at City Hall.

Cllr Berry said she would be giving up her day job while she was fighting the election. “I’ve always had a day job, but I will be giving that up and the campaign will be my day job,” she added. “This campaign will take me all over London but I am still a councillor in Highgate. I won’t be going missing.”

She is almost certain to be doubling up on political jobs from next year as she is top of the Greens’ list of candidates vying for a place on the London Assembly and only a meltdown in support would prevent her from getting to City Hall.

Cllr Berry, who ran for mayor as Green candidate in 2008, said she would make affordable housing in London one of her key policy areas.

“Most people find it difficult even to find somewhere to rent,” she said. “We have to change that.” She has pledged to set up a “community homew unit” at City Hall if elected. “It would seize control from developers and put the power back with people,” she said.