Zoë Garbett takes office as Hackney’s first Green mayor

The Story

Zoë Garbett was elected as Hackney’s first Green party mayor in this month’s local elections, as the Greens won more than 500 seats nationally, taking control of five councils and two mayoralties. Garbett has pledged to focus on housing, climate justice, and repurposing empty properties in the borough. She says “everything I do has got climate and climate justice at its centre.”

Key Facts

• Garbett, 39, was elected Hackney’s first Green mayor in this month’s local elections; the Green party jumped from four councillors to 40 in Hackney, while Labour slid from 50 seats in 2022 to nine.
• Nationally, the Greens won more than 500 seats, took control of five councils, and won two mayoralties.
• Hackney has an annual council budget of about £2bn. Life expectancy is below the national average, and the borough is the second-worst area in the country for child deprivation, according to the English indices of deprivation.
• Garbett’s priority is housing: three-quarters of Hackney residents rent. She has pledged to deliver more genuinely affordable homes and council housing, and is launching a ‘Who Owns Hackney’ scheme to identify empty properties and repurpose them for the community.
• Garbett previously worked for the NHS and local councils, served as a London Assembly member for the Greens, and was the Green party candidate for London mayor in 2024.
• Green party membership has tripled to more than 200,000 since Zack Polanski became leader last year. The party gained a fifth MP in February when Hannah Spencer won the Gorton and Denton byelection.
• Polanski has faced criticism over council tax, not registering to vote, and the party’s handling of antisemitism. Garbett says scrutiny should be proportionate, noting that Nigel Farage faces “accusations of racism and questions about funding and donations.”
• Garbett says she works closely with Hackney’s large Jewish community and calls antisemitic attacks and hate crimes “abhorrent.”

Conflicting Reports

No conflicting reports identified in the source article.

Still Unclear

The article does not specify the exact date of the local elections or Garbett’s precise margin of victory. It also does not detail the budget allocation or timeline for her housing plans.

Misconceptions

The article addresses concerns that the Green party is no longer focused on climate and nature crises. Garbett states that climate justice remains at the heart of the party’s mission and serves as a core principle running through its manifesto.

Key Figures

• Zoë Garbett (Hackney mayor, Green party)
• Zack Polanski (Green party leader)
• Hannah Spencer (Green MP, Gorton and Denton byelection)
• Nigel Farage (Reform UK leader, mentioned for comparison)

Sources: The Guardian