Haringey Green Party marked the beginning of its 2026 local election work at an event held last weekend.
Residents of the borough will have an opportunity to elect their first Green Party councillors in May 2026, with the candidate selection process due to begin in the coming weeks.
Haringey Green Party co-chairs Pamela Harling and Colin Ettinger were in attendance at The All-Good Bookshop in Wood Green, where members and activists reflected on how to turn national momentum into local success.
“I’ve taken part in several general elections for the Green Party and I can tell you that, this time, it was stunningly different,” said Harling, who praised the central strategy that secured four Green MPs.
Hopes are high locally following record results in the constituencies of Tottenham and Hornsey and Friern Barnet during the recent general election, where the Greens saw a 14 and 10 percent swing respectively.
In 2022, the party had come a mere 113 votes away from getting a councillor elected in Haringey, with Ettinger suggesting that a greater number of volunteers would be crucial to winning this time around.
“This isn’t glamorous work that we do; it isn’t high tech… it’s leafleting, knocking on doors,” he explained. “It does sound very old-fashioned, but the proof is in the pudding.”
Wards and constituencies with a high degree of such activity tend to see a surge in votes, as was the case in North Herefordshire, where some residents claimed to have never been visited by canvassers before the Greens arrived.
Although candidates are yet to be selected, preliminary door-knocking sessions will take place in the near future to determine which issues are of the most importance to local residents.
Harling sympathised that door-knocking can sound daunting to first-timers, but assured that conversations on the doorstep tend to be brief and that the experience can be “very exciting”.
The candidate selection process has not yet started, but those seeking a target position were informed that it requires someone willing and able to make a long-term commitment to the relevant ward.
Greens for Palestine co-founder and Haringey Green Party’s Volunteer Co-Ordinator Jo Dowbor said: “Let’s not forget: we’re not campaigning to get votes and simply get elected, but to get elected and help our local communities.”
Attendees acknowledged the importance of listening to concerns that go beyond the borough, with Israel’s genocide in Gaza continuing to be at the forefront of many people’s minds.
A decision was made to introduce a regular action day on the first Sunday of each month, with details to be shared on the inaugural event via Action Network in due course.
Lastly, local members were reminded that their monthly fee is paid to the national Green Party and does not necessarily go towards activities in Haringey.
Therefore, setting up a monthly donation – however small – directly with the branch is both encouraged and greatly appreciated, particularly as we prepare for such a vital campaign.