In a stunning political development that injected high drama into Hackney Council's final full meeting before the May elections, Labour councillor Soraya Adejare dramatically crossed the floor to join the Green Party. The defection occurred during a heated budget debate on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, with Adejare launching scathing criticism against her former party's approach to local authority funding and accusing Labour of institutional racism.
Emotional Council Meeting Sees Political Earthquake
The atmosphere in Hackney's council chamber grew tense as Councillor Adejare, who represents Brownswood ward and has served for twelve years, announced her departure from Labour to support the Green Party's alternative budget proposal. The veteran politician told colleagues she could no longer accept what she described as the "totally unacceptable" funding approach from the current Labour government, despite acknowledging previous Conservative fiscal damage to the borough.
Personal and Political Grievances Surface
Adejare delivered an emotional address explaining her decision, revealing that her twelve-year-old daughter has "seen no material benefits throughout her lifetime" under current policies. She expressed concern that this situation would likely continue as councils face pressure to implement increasing service cuts. The councillor also disclosed she had been grieving her mother's death while dealing with what she characterized as institutional racism within the Labour Party.
"I have experienced a kind of institutional racism in my party," Adejare stated during the meeting, thanking colleagues for their support during what she called an "incredibly difficult time." Her defection follows her deselection by Hackney Labour last year after failing her candidacy interview, which she attributes to her support for a procedural motion calling for a Gaza ceasefire in 2023.
Mayor's Emotional Response and Budget Outcome
Hackney Mayor Caroline Woodley became visibly upset following Adejare's announcement, expressing deep personal disappointment. "I was let down at my first full council meeting and I was let down again, tonight, by somebody I really care about and I've tried to be there for," Mayor Woodley said emotionally. "I cannot tell you how disappointed I am by that."
Despite the dramatic political shift, the council proceeded to pass its 2026/27 budget, which includes a maximum 4.99% council tax increase. Hackney Council officials noted that new government funding over the next three years has increased core spending power by 25%, but the local authority still faces significant financial pressures, planning £33.8 million in spending cuts for the coming financial year amid continued strain on social care services.
Second Mid-Meeting Defection This Year
Adejare's departure marks the second time in 2026 that a Hackney Labour councillor has quit the party during a council meeting. In February, Councillor M Can Ozsen similarly resigned at the beginning of a full council session, condemning Labour's "factionalism" and attributing his deselection to his vote on the same 2023 Gaza ceasefire motion. Mayor Woodley had supported both councillors' unsuccessful appeals against their deselections.
Green Party Welcomes New Member
Zoë Garbett, the Green Party's co-leader and mayoral candidate, enthusiastically welcomed Adejare to their ranks. "Tonight we are so proud to welcome Soraya to join the Hackney Green Party," Garbett announced. "Her move to join the Green Group sends a clear message: Hackney residents deserve representatives who will stand up for their communities, not simply follow party lines."
Garbett praised Adejare's "bold advocacy" for residents struggling with housing affordability, youth services, and against what she described as racist policing practices. The Green Party has not yet officially confirmed whether Adejare will stand as a councillor in the May 7 elections or in which ward she might campaign.
Broader Political Implications
This dramatic defection highlights growing tensions within Labour's ranks in Hackney and raises questions about party discipline and representation. First elected as a Labour councillor in 2012, Adejare's twelve-year tenure ended with this dramatic political realignment, reflecting broader dissatisfaction with current government approaches to local authority funding.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service approached both London Labour and Hackney Labour for comment on the defection, but neither provided an official response. The incident underscores the increasingly volatile nature of local politics in East London as May elections approach, with personal loyalties, policy disagreements, and allegations of institutional problems creating perfect conditions for political upheaval.
