The Green Party has taken control of Hackney Council as Labour suffered unprecedented losses in the North London borough following the local elections on Thursday, May 7.
Labour saw its long-held dominance in Hackney crushed as its huge majority of 50 councillors at the last election collapsed to a rump of nine seats. The insurgent Greens made sweeping gains across the borough and finished with 42 out of 57 seats.
Cabinet members were ashen-faced and candidates bleary-eyed as they were defeated in what one Labour candidate described as a "slaughter". The seismic result for the eco-populist Green Party followed its earlier victory declared as Green candidate Zoe Garbett beat incumbent Caroline Woodley with 49.8% of the vote.
Accepting victory on Friday morning (May 8), Ms Garbett said: "The fight back starts now. Across London and the country, people have made it clear that they are desperate for an alternative to this failing Labour government. I don't want to tweak around the edges. I'm going to change the system. The people of Hackney own Hackney, and it's time to take it back."
While Garbett, the borough's new political leader, had left the count by the time the final result was declared, a Green Party spokesperson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): "It's a really exciting result. Obviously, the people of Hackney knew what they wanted - and they got it - so we're ready to start working very hard."
The Labour Party has controlled Hackney Council outright for all but seven years of its history since the local authority was created in 1965.
In another historic turn, Hackney's new Deputy Mayor will be 20-year-old Dylan Law, who ran on a joint ticket with Garbett on the pledge that she would appoint him as her deputy. He declined to speak to the press, but a Green Party spokesperson said it was "probably the biggest day of his life".
Labour casualties included several cabinet members, with Cllr Carole Williams losing her seat by 18 votes. A notable new addition to the chamber is crime writer Nicholas Blincoe, who won in Hoxton West for the Greens.
Speaking to the LDRS, Labour councillors who held onto their seats accepted it had been a "difficult" night but they were ready to form the next opposition. "We're going to take them to task and hold them to account. We've got fire in the belly, and a lot of experience. The fight back starts now," they said.
The Green Party's victory marks a historic shift in Hackney's political landscape, ending decades of Labour dominance. With 42 seats, the Greens now hold a commanding majority, while Labour's reduced presence sets the stage for a new dynamic in local governance. The new administration is expected to focus on housing affordability, environmental policies, and community engagement, aligning with Garbett's campaign promises.
