Key Points
- The Green Party has taken control of Hackney Council, securing 42 out of 57 seats in the local elections held on May 7, 2026.
- Labour, previously holding 50 seats, dropped to just nine councillors, marking the first time in 24 years they have lost control of the borough.
- Zoë Garbett of the Green Party was elected mayor of Hackney, defeating Labour’s Caroline Woodley by nearly 9,000 votes (35,720 to 26,865).
- Conservatives hold six seats, up slightly from five pre-election.
- Garbett’s running mate, 20-year-old Dylan Law, representing Hackney Downs ward, is set to become deputy mayor.
- Greens entered the election with only two councillors.
- Labour had controlled Hackney Council for all but eight years since 1964 and the mayoralty since 2002.
Hackney (East London Times) May 11, 2026. Kasper McLeish of East London Lines reports that the Greens now hold 42 of the borough’s 57 seats, while Labour plummeted from 50 to nine. This shift ends Labour’s near-quarter-century dominance in the borough.
What Triggered Labour’s Collapse in Hackney?
As reported by Kasper McLeish of East London Lines, the Green Party’s dramatic showing came soon after Zoë Garbett, councillor for Dalston, was elected mayor, beating her Labour rival Caroline Woodley by nearly 9,000 votes. Garbett’s win marked the Green Party’s first-ever elected mayoralty.
In her acceptance speech, as covered by the Hackney Citizen, Garbett stated:
“Today, we start the fightback. In this election, over and over, people kept telling me that they felt let down. People kept saying, ‘it’s hard for me and it’s hard for us’. Council services are failing those who need them most and people are struggling to make ends meet.”
She continued:
“Across London and the country, people have made it clear that they are desperate for an alternative to this failing Labour government. It is not old parties versus new parties, this is about a system of fear versus a movement of hope.”
Garbett added:
“Poverty isn’t a fact. It’s a political choice. And Hackney says no.” She said: “I’ve always stood up against injustice. For over a decade in the NHS, to being a councillor in Dalston, to sitting on the London Assembly, all the work I’ve ever done has been to change the system and services that let people down, harm people and widen inequality.”
The mayoral results showed Conservatives’ Tareke Gregg in third with 6,345 votes, Reform UK’s Vahid Almasi with 4,013, and Liberal Democrats’ Eva Steinhardt with 2,731, according to the Hackney Citizen reported by James Barnes and Patrick Cardwell. Garbett’s vote share reached 46.88%, nearly tripling from 17% in 2022, while Labour fell to 35.26% from 59.09%.
NELondoner confirmed the council seat totals: Greens 42, Labour 9, Conservatives 6.
How Did the Greens Achieve This Landslide?
Pre-election, Labour held 50 seats, Conservatives 5, and Greens 2, as noted by NELondoner. The Hackney Council Facebook post announced:
“With all wards now declared, the Green Party has won overall control of Hackney Council, winning 42 of 57 seats available.”
Dylan Law, Garbett’s 20-year-old running-mate from Hackney Downs ward, is set to become deputy mayor, one of the youngest Hackney councillors to hold a cabinet position. As reported by Kasper McLeish of East London Lines, Law spoke during the campaign:
“The Labour party has whips; the Green Party doesn’t have whips at all. We don’t get told how to vote. We’re spoken to in the register of ‘You can do it this way, this is how other people are doing it,’ but you won’t be deselected if you vote a certain way which is what happens in Labour.”
The National News reported Garbett won 35,720 votes to Woodley’s 26,865. Wikipedia entries confirm the election date and Garbett’s historic win.
BBC News highlighted Hackney as one of Labour’s surprising losses, with the party losing 41 seats there amid broader London declines. The Independent noted Labour reduced to nine seats from 49 (noting a slight discrepancy but aligning on the loss).
What Are the Greens’ Plans for Hackney Council?
Hackney Greens have promised to focus on improving council services, as per East London Lines. They plan to use council pension funds to buy back Hackney’s social housing stock, eroded by decades of Right-to-Buy policy.
In her speech, Garbett outlined:
“That’s why one of my first acts will be to do a full investigation into who owns Hackney, its buildings, its land, to begin getting these spaces back to the communities who desperately need them.”
She added:
“Our plan is about getting the basics right and making day to day easier, getting repairs done quickly, making food and energy cheaper, and rooting out racism in our schools.”
Garbett continued:
“I’ll fight the system that views housing as a way of making money, rather than a universal right for every single person. I’ll get more council houses from development. The people need somewhere affordable to stay.”
She noted:
“And I won’t be silent about the government decisions that are harming Hackney residents like continued austerity. It is both heart-wrenching and outrageous that here’s something like one in two children in Hackney live in poverty. Every day I will work to fix this.”
The Guardian reported Greens securing a majority on Hackney Council, displacing Labour since 2002.
What Is Hackney’s Political History?
The startling scale of Labour’s losses is clear from history, as Kasper McLeish of East London Lines detailed: Labour had been in power in Hackney for all but eight years since the borough was created in 1964 and held the mayoral position since 2002. This flip ends 24 years of continuous Labour council control.
Background of the Development
Hackney Council was formed in 1964 through the merger of Stoke Newington, Shoreditch, and Hackney metropolitan boroughs. Labour gained dominance shortly after, holding power for all but eight years since, including uninterrupted from 2002 when the mayoral system began.
The Right-to-Buy policy under Thatcher in the 1980s reduced social housing stock, a point Greens highlight. Zoë Garbett, a former NHS worker, Dalston councillor, and London Assembly member since 2024, built her profile through prior runs, placing second in 2023 mayoral with 24.34%. Greens fielded candidates in every ward for 2026. Dylan Law, Hackney-born youth organiser, partnered with Garbett. Broader context includes national local election shifts, with Greens gaining amid Labour losses post-general election.
Prediction: Impact on Hackney Residents
This development can affect Hackney residents through changes in council priorities. Greens’ focus on service improvements, housing buybacks, and land ownership probes may lead to faster repairs and more affordable homes, using pension funds for social housing. Investigations into land ownership could redirect community spaces, while anti-poverty efforts target child poverty rates around 50%. Deputy mayor Dylan Law’s role may introduce youth perspectives on decisions without party whips. Residents might see shifts in spending on basics like energy and food costs, alongside addressing school issues and austerity impacts. Council operations without whips could allow more independent voting on local matters. Overall, service delivery and inequality focus may reshape daily life, with 42 Green councillors providing a strong mandate.
