My tribute to Noel Lynch

Noel Lynch, who served as a London Assembly member from 2003-04 for the Green Party and who I knew from my early days in the Green Party, passed away yesterday.

Noel was born in Killmarlock, County Limerick, in the Republic of Ireland, and he stood in the Limerick West Dail constituency as an Independent in 1969. He later moved to England and in 2000 was fourth on the Green Party list for the inaugural London Assembly election; the Green Party won only 3 seats so he was not elected. Upon Victor Anderson's resignation in May 2003, Noel became a London AM in his place but was unable to keep his seat in the 2004 election when the Green Party won only 2 list seats. This happened again in 2008 and 2012, and in both cases Noel was third on the Green Party list; in 2016 he was fifth on the Green Party list for that London Assembly election. By trade he was an auctioneer and sometimes held auctions at Green Party meetings in London, and founded the Green Party Trade Union Group, marking an important step forward for the eco-socialism movement in the Green Party.

Although ultimately he only spent a year as a member of the London Assembly, he managed to submit important questions on green spaces, the decline of public restrooms in London, local shops which at the time were under serious threat from gentrification of many central London areas, and the growing problem of plastic bags (particularly serious in Greater London at the time).

Farewell, Noel. I shall miss you, your dedication, and your joie de vivre.

Noel Thomas Lynch, born 23 January 1947, departed this life on 3 August 2021, aged 74 years.

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