Steps away from the busy outdoor stalls of the Ridley Road market in Dalston, where traders sell fruit, spices and household goods, large placards hang from the sides of apartment blocks urging passers-by to “Vote Green.”
Here, in the East London borough of Hackney, many did just that on Thursday, as progressive voters delivered a victory in the mayoral race to the insurgent Green Party candidate, ousting the Labour incumbent.
Labour had held the mayoral seat since it was created in 2002, and Hackney’s local council has been run by Labour for almost 25 years. But for many left-wing voters, the cautious centrist Labour government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer has been a disappointment — leaving space for the Greens, with its new leader, Zack Polanski, to offer an alternative.
The borough is one of several traditional Labour strongholds in central London where pollsters had anticipated that the Green Party could win seats from Labour.
Zoë Garbett, the Green Party candidate for Hackney mayor, campaigned alongside Mr. Polanski in the borough, which was seen as a critical race for the party.
“Across London and the country, people have made it clear that they are desperate for an alternative to this failing Labour government,” Ms. Garbett said shortly after her win was announced. “It’s not old politics parties versus new parties. This is about a system of fear versus a movement of hope.”
Nic Boatman, 72, who was walking out of a polling station in Hackney’s Dalston neighborhood on Thursday, said he had confidence in Ms. Garbett. He described his politics as center-left and said his decision to vote for the Greens was a departure from the norm.
“I think the Greens are good for local issues here,” he said. “Though I’m not sure if I would vote for them nationally.”
Mr. Boatman voted for Labour in the 2024 general election.
“So my vote when the next general election comes in a few years time, I’m not sure,” he said, adding with a laugh, “I guess I will go on how I am feeling about it then.”
The main threat to Labour in the capital now comes from its left, rather than from its right, according to polling from the firm More in Common.
A day before the election, some voters were still undecided. Bradley Wallace, 26, was walking on Kingsland High Street on Wednesday, hand in hand with his partner, past restaurants, cafes and shops.
He said he was still making up his mind about how to cast his ballot.
“I’ve normally voted Labour in the past, but potentially the Greens this time,” he said. “They resonate more with young people. I think our generation cares more about certain political injustices and world matters.”
Climate change, the war in Gaza and social justice are all front of mind, he said.
The Green Party has been a vocal opponent of Israel’s military action in the war in Gaza, with its membership formally voting to recognize the country’s policies toward Palestinians as “apartheid” and “genocide.”
Other young people in the area had similar sentiments. Heading into the election, Eve Le Maistre, 18, said she felt the values of the Green Party resonated most with her.
“They focus on the environment, obviously, and I like that. And I like their stance on Palestine,” she said.
While the local elections will give a sense of the broader national sentiment, political experts warn against extrapolating too far from the results. Many people voting in local council elections focus on hyperlocal issues, or see them as a relatively low-risk way to cast a protest vote. Londoners consider policing and crime the most important issues influencing their vote, followed closely by council tax, and affordable housing and planning, according to More in Common.
