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Hackney
Nation / PlaceGB

Hackney

Inner east London borough; first Green-controlled council and Green mayor from May 2026.

Last refreshed: 3 June 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic

Key Question

How did the Greens flip Hackney from a Labour stronghold in a single election?

Timeline for Hackney

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Common Questions
Are the Greens targeting Hackney council in 2026?
Yes. Zack Polanski named Hackney as an explicit Green target during the April 2026 campaign launch, aiming to take the council from Labour.Source: uk-elections-2026
Is Hackney a safe Labour council?
Hackney has been one of Labour's safest London councils, but the Green Party is now targeting it as younger progressive voters shift away from Labour.Source: uk-elections-2026
Who won the Hackney mayoral election in 2026?
Zoë Garbett of the Green Party won the Hackney mayoral election on 7 May 2026, defeating the incumbent Labour mayor. It was the first time the Green Party had won an elected mayoral position in any London borough.Source: event

Background

Hackney is an inner east London borough bordered by Islington, Tower Hamlets, Newham, and Waltham Forest. It is one of the most densely populated and demographically diverse boroughs in England, with significant concentrations of younger, university-educated, and creative-industry residents who have shifted electoral allegiance from Labour to the Greens over the past decade. The borough has a population of approximately 280,000 and includes the districts of Shoreditch, Stoke Newington, Dalston, and Clapton.

Hackney was a Labour stronghold at council level for decades. The Green Party identified it explicitly as a flagship target when Zack Polanski launched the party's 2026 local election campaign in Deptford in April, aiming to demonstrate that the post-Polanski Green membership surge of 220,000 could translate into ward-level wins in traditional Labour territory.

On 7 May 2026, the Greens swept Hackney. Zoë Garbett won the Hackney mayoralty and the council flipped from Labour 44/Greens 6 to Greens 38/Labour 6, one of the most complete reversals in a major urban authority in modern London politics. Hackney and Lewisham became the first Green-run London boroughs and the first Green elected mayoralties anywhere in England.

More questions
Is Hackney still Labour in 2026?
No. Hackney switched from Labour to Green control on 7 May 2026. The council went from Labour 44/Greens 6 to Greens 38/Labour 6. Zoë Garbett became the first Green mayor of any London borough.Source: event
Why did Hackney vote Green in the 2026 local elections?
Hackney's demographics — younger, university-educated residents in Shoreditch, Dalston, and Stoke Newington — have been moving toward the Greens for several years. The Green Party under Zack Polanski tripled its membership to 220,000 and targeted Hackney explicitly. Labour's national positioning under Keir Starmer accelerated the drift.Source: event
Where is Hackney in London?
Hackney is an inner east London borough bordered by Islington to the west, Tower Hamlets to the south, Newham to the east, and Waltham Forest to the north. It includes Shoreditch, Stoke Newington, Dalston, Clapton, and Hackney Wick.