Labour’s Kofo David elected as new councillor for Clissold ward by-election after Ned Hercock resigns

Community activist and barrister-in-training Kofo David has held a council seat for Labour, following the resignation of Cllr Ned Hercock.

Cllr David secured 56 per cent of the vote in the ward with 3,784 votes, and pledged to work with Hackney Mayor Philip Glanville and other councillors "to build a fairer, safer and more sustainable Hackney".

The new Clissold councillor's campaign gained attention after it was reported that in 2017 he unsuccessfully sued a colleague for libel after she made formal complaints against him of harassment and bullying.

Cllr David said: "I am honoured to be elected as a councillor for Clissold and look forward to working with my two colleagues to continue to do our best to represent residents and their issues.

"It's been a good campaign and people on the doorstep have been positive about Labour's policies.

"I would like to thank my agent Cllr Susan Fajana Thomas and the supporting team for all their hard work to make this result possible."

Green candidate Marie Remy, who secured 1,597 votes from voters in the ward, used her concession speech to say that Hackney has "had enough" of single party government, hitting out at the first past the post system and calling for electoral reform.

Meanwhile, Tabitha Morton of the Women's Equality Party, who secured 287 votes, underlined the urgency to address domestic violence, calling for the building of refuges and to protect key social services, saying that this was the message sent by her voters.