Key Points
- The Greens are targeting Labour-held London boroughs, with Hackney in east London among their key aims, according to Reuters.
- Human rights lawyer Nadeshda Jayakody is among voters in Hackney moving towards the Green Party, Reuters reported.
- The article says the trend among urban progressives could hurt Prime Minister Keir Starmer in the capital ahead of local elections on 7 May.
- Reuters said Labour’s stance on immigration and other issues has shifted to the right as it tries to respond to Reform UK’s rise.
- The Greens’ recent momentum has been strengthened by Zack Polanski’s leadership and a surprise by-election win in Greater Manchester in February.
- Polling cited by Reuters suggested the Greens could lead in several London boroughs, including Hackney, while Reform UK could do well in outer boroughs.
- Some voters remain loyal to Labour, while others are torn between Labour’s promise of stability and the Greens’ more energetic campaign style.
Hackney (East London News) May 4, 2026 — Reuters reported that the Green Party is mounting a serious challenge to Labour in parts of London, with Hackney emerging as one of the clearest battlegrounds. The report said the shift among urban progressive voters could damage Keir Starmer’s party at a sensitive moment, with local elections due on 7 May.
As reported by Alistair Smout and Marissa Davison of Reuters, human rights lawyer Nadeshda Jayakody said she had moved towards the Greens because they “align better with what I stand for,” after voting Labour in the 2024 general election. Reuters also quoted her saying Labour was
“pandering towards the right, towards Reform, rather than trying to lead from the centre or the left.”
Why are some Labour voters switching?
Reuters said Labour has become tougher on issues such as immigration as it responds to the rise of Nigel Farage’s Reform UK, and that this has created space on the left for the Greens.
The report said many voters who once saw Labour as their natural home now feel the party is not delivering the change it promised after the 2024 general election win.
The agency reported that Starmer’s popularity has fallen since taking office, and that Labour is facing possible losses both to Reform in former industrial areas and to the Greens in major cities.
In Hackney, Reuters said dissatisfaction is linked not only to national politics but also to local issues such as housing and Labour’s position on the Gaza war.
What is driving Green momentum?
Reuters said the Greens have gained momentum since Zack Polanski became leader in September and shifted the party further left.
According to the report, he has pushed policies including higher taxes on the rich, rent controls and drug legalisation, helping the party poll between 15% and 20% nationally at times.
The Reuters story also pointed to a February by-election win in Greater Manchester as a major signal that the Greens can compete in places once considered safely Labour. That result, the report said, weakened Starmer’s argument that Labour is the only progressive force capable of defeating Reform.
How are voters in Hackney reacting?
Reuters quoted Green candidate Zoë Garbett as saying voters in Hackney “really were following” the Manchester result and could see the Greens as “an alternative.” Garbett said residents were dissatisfied with Labour for several reasons, including housing and Gaza, and argued that the election could mark
The report also showed that not all Labour supporters were ready to switch. Photographer Mel Bagshaw, 69, told Reuters he would continue voting Labour because the party traditionally protects the most vulnerable, while describing the Greens as “slightly too radical” for him.
Operations manager Sophie Bullock said she usually votes Labour but was torn, leaning towards the Greens because she wanted “some consistency and some stability” while also finding the Greens’ energy “refreshing.”
What do the polls suggest?
Reuters said polls point to a competitive contest in several London boroughs. A YouGov model last month projected the Greens leading in four boroughs, including Hackney, while a JL Partners model put the Greens narrowly ahead in Camden, where Starmer’s own parliamentary seat is located.
The report added that Reform UK could also do well in some outer London boroughs, showing that the capital is becoming more politically fragmented. That matters because London has historically been one of Labour’s most reliable power bases, and any losses there would carry symbolic as well as practical weight.
How is Labour defending itself?
Reuters said Starmer has argued that his government is delivering on national priorities such as stabilising the public finances, reducing child poverty and cutting hospital waiting lists. The report noted that he is doing so in the face of wider global pressures and against a backdrop of declining public satisfaction.
BBC reporting published earlier this month also described Hackney as a key Green target and said the borough has only ever had a Labour directly elected mayor, underlining how significant a Green breakthrough there would be. That BBC coverage also said the cost of living is one of the main concerns shaping voter behaviour.
What is the background?
Hackney has long been one of Labour’s strongest areas in London, with Labour dominating the council for decades. Reuters said the borough has been a Labour stronghold since the 1970s, although recent polling suggests the Greens now have a credible route to challenging that dominance.
The broader context is a split in progressive politics, with Labour trying to hold onto centre-left voters while the Greens compete for those who want a more left-wing alternative. At the same time, Reform UK is pulling some support on the right, leaving Labour squeezed from both directions. That makes the upcoming local elections an important test of how far London’s politics are shifting.
What could happen next?
If the Green Party performs well in Hackney and similar boroughs, it could make Labour’s grip on London look less secure and encourage more voters to treat the Greens as a serious local option. That would matter most to urban progressive voters, especially those concerned about housing, the cost of living, climate policy and Gaza, because the Greens are pitching themselves as the clearest alternative to Labour’s current direction.
For Labour supporters who value stability, the immediate effect may be more defensive voting and pressure on the party to reconnect with voters who feel it has shifted too far right. For Green supporters, a stronger result would likely strengthen the party’s claim that it can convert national momentum into local power in London.
