The Green Party’s leading representative on the London Assembly has suggested Jeremy Corbyn is her “preferred” candidate to lead the Labour Party during a visit to Neasden.

Brent & Kilburn Times: Jeremy Corbyn is in the Labour leadership contestJeremy Corbyn is in the Labour leadership contest (Image: Archant)

Baroness Jenny Jones discussed the Islington North MP’s bid to lead his party during a visit to view solar panelled roofing used for “clean energy” production at Rustins paint factory in Waterloo Road.

During a discussion of the Labour leadership hopeful most likely to support the Green Party’s calls for sustainable energy and social justice Ms Jones said: “Jeremy is the preferred candidate out of all of them.

“The thing about Jeremy is that he’s actually very collegiate. The leaders of a major party should stand up and speak from the heart- but in the leaders’ debates not one of them has talked seriously about climate change.”

In discussion with Robert Meeham of Skyline roofing, who last year installed 240 solar panels for Rustins, Ms Jones highlighted the need for the next London Mayor to promote take up of sustainable energy in businesses across Brent and the rest of the capital.

Brent & Kilburn Times: Baroness Jones discusses solar power take up with Robert Meeham of Skyline roofing (Pic: Adam Thomas)Baroness Jones discusses solar power take up with Robert Meeham of Skyline roofing (Pic: Adam Thomas) (Image: Archant)

She said: “We need to tell the Mayor of London to install solar panels all over buildings on the TFL owned estate.

“Each factory or warehouse can become a clean energy factory and run off a mixture of solar and grid like Rustins. It not only reduces carbon usage but also helps to bring down energy bills.”

New figures show there are only 39 non-domestic solar panel installations in Brent, while the same data released by the Department for Energy and Climate Change shows ‘non-domestic’ take up of solar energy in businesses across London accounts for just five per cent of overall installations.

Asked which London Mayoral candidate most likely to drive forward her party’s vision of London becoming the world’s first “off grid” city Ms Jones, who served as Deputy Mayor of London from 2003-2004 said Zac Goldsmith who is vying to become the Conservative candidate in 2016’s mayoral elections was “Green-ish”.

Brent & Kilburn Times: Solar panels on the roof of Rustins paint factory in NeasdenSolar panels on the roof of Rustins paint factory in Neasden (Image: Archant)

She added: “If we don’t get a Green Party Mayor, I’m sure the Greens could work with Zac - but then I thought we could work with Boris.”