Mustafa Korel to stand for Greens in council byelection

Mustafa Korel, Green candidate for the Hackney central byelection. Photograph: Hackney Green party

Mustafa Korel has been announced as the Green Party candidate for the Hackney Central by-election, to be held on Thursday 3 May.

Youth worker Mr Korel has lived in Hackney for 20 years and in Hackney Central for 18 years.

Claiming to be only candidate out of the four standing in the byelection who actually lives in the ward, he said: “I would like to say I think I have a fair idea about what motivates us, what motivates my neighbours.”

Explaining why he joined the Greens and is standing for them, he said: “It is a different voice, it’s about holding the council to account basically. That’s what I want to do.”

Mr Korel says he is a passionate advocate for young people, after working as a volunteer since he was 15 years old and says he wants to work to alleviate the “really negative, stereotypical” view of young people held by many, particularly after last summer’s riots.

He said: “The riots weren’t just young people, there were a lot of people who were very unhappy about what was happening.”

If elected he would push the council to reinstate the 98 jobs lost in the youth service and to scrap the online hub for young people in favour of outreach programs and youth centres.

He currently runs an outreach programme for 14-18 year olds to engage young people in civic participation.

“I think young people getting involved in their communities is one of the most important ways of inspiring them to do something,” he said.

Mr Korel would create exchange programmes where adults can volunteer at youth centres and young people can volunteer with their elders to try to break down barriers and stereotypes.

He has received two Hackney Youth awards for his work and ran the anti-bullying outreach programme in Hackney, Islington and Haringey as well as sitting on the Hackney Homophobic Bullying Forum.

Originally becoming involved in politics during the 2010 general election, Mr Korel campaigned for the Liberal Democrats but switched to the Green party after he was disappointed by the Liberal Democrats once they were elected. “They sold out their values for power,” he said.

The other Hackney Central ward byelection candidates are Andrew Boff (Conservative party), Ben Hayhurst (Labour party), and Pauline Pearce (Liberal Democrats).