Zoe Garbett

The process of selecting the next Green Party candidate for the mayor of London kicked off today. Hackney Borough Councillor Zoë Garbett has announced that she’s seeking to be the party’s candidate in the 2024 mayoral election.

Garbett was elected as a Councillor in Hackney in May 2022, topping the poll in Dalston Ward. She now sits alongside fellow Green Councillor Alastair Binnie-Lubbock and serves as leader of the Green Group. Concurrent with her successful campaign for election to the Council, Garbett was the Greens’ candidate in the 2022 Hackney mayoral election, in which she came second with 17 per cent of the vote. As a Councillor, Garbett has become known within the Green Party for her work supporting Deliveroo riders and standing in solidarity with the IWGB Union.

Launching her campaign, Garbett has drawn on the experience of the Hackney Mayoral campaign. She said, “I have already delivered one of the best Mayor results for the Green Party and I’m ready to do the same for the whole city. I’m really proud of the campaign I led in Hackney this year where we nearly doubled our vote share, I engaged with the media and tackled difficult issues in public hustings.” She added, “I know what we need to do to inspire people to vote Green, I know how to win elections, and I know how to take that success into every corner of London.”

Garbett also pointed to her experience in developing the Greens’ policies on issues like drugs. She said, “I have a track record [of] developing policies that benefit people across our city. I led a review of the national party’s drug policy and helped Sian Berry set the agenda for harm reduction in the city.”

Garbett has already received the backing from some of the most high profile figures in the Green Party.

Green MP Caroline Lucas said, “I think Zoë would make an absolutely brilliant candidate for Mayor of London. I’ve seen first hand what a phenomenal campaigner she is,” adding, “She’s a fantastic communicator – wonderful grip on policy – please support her.”

London Assembly member Siân Berry – who was the Greens’ London mayoral candidate in 2008, 2016 and 2021 – has also thrown her weight behind Garbett. She said, “Our 2021 manifesto would not have existed without Zoë’s work. She helped our team listen to members, work with campaigns and groups from across London to put together the clearest vision and the best set of ideas ever.”

Berry’s fellow London Assembly member Caroline Russell has said, “Zoe’s stunning campaign for Hackney Mayor and her Councillor work challenging terrible injustices like the strip-searching of children and police immigration raids on delivery riders show why she’d be a great candidate for mayor.”

Tyrone Scott, who came second in the Green Party’s 2022 deputy leadership election said, “I’ve seen Zoë standing up for communities and helping us win here in Hackney, and I know she’ll do the same for London.”

No one other than Garbett has yet publicly announced they’re standing in the Greens’ mayoral candidate selection.

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