Tyrone Scott, a Green party candidate for Hackney Wick who unexpectedly won a council seat in Thursday’s election, described the victory as a mix of emotions. Scott, who had been a member of the Green party for 12 years, previously lost a council race by just 27 votes in 2022. He retreated from politics to work for a charity but decided to run again in Hackney Wick, an area where Labour had won comfortably in the last election.
Paper Candidate Phenomenon
A paper candidate is someone fielded on the understanding they are highly unlikely to win, allowing a party to appear on the ballot in as many places as possible. This year’s local elections, which saw Labour’s worst results on record, led to many such candidates being elected. In Finsbury Park, Green party handlers apologized to a newly elected paper candidate, reassuring them of support. In Camden, a secondary-school teacher elected for the Greens immediately quit due to borough employment restrictions.
Tyrone Scott’s Journey
Scott, 34, called himself a “cardboard candidate” because the Green party believed victory was possible across Hackney. Activists did minimal canvassing in Hackney Wick compared to other wards. The first sign of success came during vote verification, when Scott noticed a large pile of votes for his ward. At the count, the Greens won nine or ten seats early on, including unexpected ones.
In a seismic day for the Greens in London, the party won a majority on Hackney council for the first time since 2002, securing 42 of 57 seats. Zoë Garbett became the borough’s first Green mayor, ending Labour’s 24-year control. When Scott’s ward results were announced, all three councillors elected were Greens. “It felt quite surreal and we were very elated,” he said.
Balancing Work and Council Duties
Scott works as head of campaigns for an anti-poverty charity. He informed his bosses about his candidacy, who agreed on the understanding he was unlikely to win. Now that he has won, Scott expects a conversation about adjusting his work schedule. “I’ll talk to work on Monday,” he said.
Looking Ahead
Scott hopes the Greens can rebuild “community cohesion” in Hackney and serve as a model of hope over hate, especially in light of Reform UK’s gains across the country. “We can be a shining example of how to build hope rather than hate,” he said.
