Labour pip Greens to Hackney by-election win
Julia Gregory LDRS
Labour councillor Joe Walker - Credit: Julia Gregory LDRS
On the day the prime minister announced his departure, Labour enjoyed a narrow win in a Hackney by-election – with the Tories in fifth place.
Labour’s Joe Walker received just 27 more votes than Green Party candidate Tyrone Scott in the De Beauvoir vote.
Cllr Walker said it came at a time of crisis and that he fought the campaign on the cost-of-living crisis.
"I really look forward to changing and transforming the lives of the people of De Beauvoir," he said.
He said he wanted to build on the conversations he had with residents to give them “meaningful representation”.
Mr Walker, director of the Clapton Commons community organisation, ran as a candidate for Springfield in the 2012 election.
The by-election was called two week’s after those elections when newly elected councillor Tom Dewey resigned. He was elected with 1,102 votes. The public affairs and communications consultant for planners has also worked as agent for Hackney South and Shoreditch MP Dame Meg Hillier, and at the town hall for the cabinet and mayor.
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On Thursday Cllr Walker received 758 votes, ahead of Mr Scott's 731.
Turnout was low at just 27.64% of the electorate of 6,591 heading to the polling station – down on the 33.36% in May.
Green Party candidate Tryone Scott - Credit: Julia Gregory LDRS
Covid meant Mr Scott was unable to attend the count, but in a statement he said: “It has been a pleasure speaking to everybody in the community. I am proud of having such a strong campaign and came close to joining two newly elected councillors Zoe Garbett and Alastair Binnie-Lubbock .”
Liberal Democrat candidate Thrushie Maurseth-Cahill, in third place with 133 votes, said the national drama “united people against Conservatives – even kids were cheering".
The Independent Network’s Kelly Reid who polled 83 votes, just ahead of the Conservatives, said: “Some of the young people – aged 18-25 said ‘I’m not going to vote, what’s the point of voting?'”
The authority is now made up of 50 Labour councillors, with five Tories and two Greens.
The full results:
Kristal Bayliss, Women’s Equality Party – 27
Oliver Hall, Conservative – 82
Thrusie Maurseth-Cahill, Liberal Democrats – 133
Kelly Reid, Independent Network – 83
Tyrone Scott, Green – 731
Joe Walker, Labour – 758
