George Gooch wins London Fields by-election for Labour

George Gooch makes his victory speech. Photograph: Hackney Council / X

Labour’s George Gooch has been elected as a councillor in the London Fields by-election.

Gooch won the seat with 54 per cent of the vote, with Independent Socialist candidate Sarah Byrne taking second place on 31.5 per cent.

The Conservatives trailed behind in third with 5.2 per cent, followed closely by the Lib Dems.

The Workers Party finished last with 3.8 per cent.

Turnout for the by-election was 14.49 per cent, with 1,378 votes cast in total.

Gooch had pledged to improve housing repairs and green spaces, deliver more accessible recycling, and tackle anti-social behaviour.

The campaign notably saw the Greens stand down candidates in support of Byrne, as part of a coalition bid to oust the Tories as the official opposition group on the council.

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, the Independent Socialists thanked voters who backed Byrne in a “bold break with convention”.

They said the result signalled how the ruling Labour council “is failing residents”.

The by-election was triggered after former Labour councillor and deputy speaker Lee Laudat-Scott resigned ahead of facing charges for sexually assaulting a child.

The Labour party was approached for comment.

The full results are as follows:

George Gooch, Labour, 746 votes;
Sarah Byrne, Independent, 437 votes;
Diana Maria Mikolajewska, Conservative, 72 votes;
Peter Ivor Friend, Liberal Democrat, 71 votes;
Olivia Amber Taylor, Workers Party, 52 votes.