Green Party Faces Scrutiny as Nine London By-Elections Cost Taxpayers £250,000
Nine by-elections are set to take place across London this summer, largely stemming from issues surrounding newly elected Green Party councillors. The estimated cost for these additional elections is expected to reach £250,000, borne by local taxpayers.
Eight of the nine vacancies arise from Green Party candidates who were deemed ineligible or chose to vacate their seats after the recent London local elections. The ninth vacancy is for a Labour councillor who stepped down for personal reasons.
Reasons for Disqualification and Vacancies
Among the reasons for these by-elections, two Green Party elected mayors, Zoë Garbett in Hackney and Liam Shrivastava in Lewisham, had to relinquish their council seats as electoral rules prohibit holding both roles concurrently. This is a standard procedure when an individual wins both an elected mayoralty and a council seat.
Furthermore, two Green candidates, James Tilden in Hackney Central and Muhammad Naser in Camden's Regent's Park, were found to be teachers, a profession that disqualifies them from holding council seats under certain conditions. Other Green candidates, Joanna Eaves in Lambeth and Simon Anthony in Ealing, reportedly resigned due to ill health. In Haringey, the Green Party admitted prior knowledge of candidate Jayon Henriques' ineligibility but stated the disqualification was confirmed after the nomination deadline.
Separately, Saiqa Ali, a Green Party candidate who won in Lambeth's Streatham St Leonard's ward, had been suspended by the party over alleged antisemitic social media posts before the election and has not taken up her seat.
Political Reactions and Financial Impact
The situation has drawn criticism from opposition parties, who have pointed to the Green Party's vetting procedures. A Labour Party spokesperson accused the Greens of "incompetence" forcing taxpayers to "pick up the bill." However, Tyrone Scott, leader of the Green group in Hackney, acknowledged it was "definitely not a perfect situation" but suggested such issues affect other parties nationwide due to "quite complex" electoral rules.
The cost of individual by-elections varies, with Ealing Council projecting £35,000 and Camden and Lambeth councils estimating around £30,000 per election. Councils in Hackney, Haringey, and Lewisham did not disclose their projected costs.
Upcoming by-elections include dates in Lewisham and Hillingdon (18 June), and Hackney, Haringey, and Ealing (25 June), with Lambeth and Camden dates yet to be announced.
