Hackney mayoral by-election: Greens’ Zoë Garbett throws her hat into the ring

Green mayoral candidate Zoë Garbett

Dalston councillor Zoë Garbett is standing as the Greens’ candidate for Mayor of Hackney in the forthcoming by-election.

Garbett will be fighting for the role for the second time in two years, after taking second place in the borough’s mayoral elections last year.

She was elected as a councillor for Dalston in last year’s local elections in Hackney and is the leader of the Green group on the council.

She said: “I love Hackney, but too many people feel unheard and there are multiple challenges faced by far too many.”

Her focus includes tackling the housing crisis, supporting community groups and coming up with “community-led solutions” to serious youth violence.

She added: “I have a track record of championing small business and market traders and standing up to developers so that the needs of residents are prioritised.

As a Green, I recognise the urgency required to address the climate and ecological emergency – which will run through all of my campaign.”

Garbett is calling for an independent investigation to ascertain what the council and Labour Party knew about Tom Dewey’s arrest and police investigation.

She also wants “to abolish the directly-elected mayor position in favour of a more representative, democratic system and sharing power with residents so they can have more control over their lives”.

Garbett is also the Green Party’s London mayoral candidate in the 2024 elections.

There were five candidates in the last Hackney mayoral election and other political parties are likely to announce their candidates in the next few days.