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.

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Although not a target area for the Greens – those are Brighton Pavilion, Bristol Central, Waveney Valley and North Herefordshire – there remains significant interest in who will contest this prolific London seat.

The incumbent David Lammy, Labour, has represented Tottenham since June 2000, but has been criticised for his delay in calling for a ceasefire to the Israel/Gaza conflict despite currently serving as Shadow Foreign Secretary.

In a personal statement released to Green Party members during the candidate selection process, Craig said that he “won’t be shy about my support for a ceasefire in Gaza as well as an end to arming Israel”.

The candidate for Tottenham is a Green Party member who currently volunteers as External Communications Officer for the Haringey branch.

Hailing from Bournemouth, Craig moved to north London in March 2020, initially living in Wood Green before moving to Finsbury Park, where he currently resides.

He went to a non-selective comprehensive school and studied Journalism at The University of Sheffield, with his current job being in the media. He is LGBTQ+ and the first generation of his family to be educated to degree level.

His campaign accounts will be launched nearer to the general election period, but he can currently be found on X (formerly Twitter) by anyone who wishes to get in touch or follow his activity.

An official candidate email address will also be shared in due course.

Craig’s full personal statement, which was sent to members during the candidate selection period, is available to read below:

“Thank goodness that the general election is almost here! I know I’m not the only one hungry for change in politics. I’d like to play a role in delivering a sorely needed fresh start as the Green Party’s parliamentary candidate for Tottenham.

Here, I see an opportunity to boost local awareness of our incredible organisation, at a time when voters are actively seeking an alternative to the tired politics of yesterday.

I’ll be honest with you: I wasn’t born in Tottenham. Hailing from a working-class family way down south, the idea of moving to London always felt like an implausible fantasy. I feel lucky to be here every day and I’m keen to fight for the community that I’ve called home for several years.

If chosen to run for this constituency, I will speak with residents, participate in local hustings, engage members of the press and curate a social media presence to ensure that the exciting future envisioned by the Green Party is projected far and wide.

Now, more than ever, we need politicians who are unafraid to call for green policies, public services, human rights and social justice. If chosen to run for Tottenham, these would be key tenets of my campaign.

I firmly believe that one method by which we can fix the major issues facing our country right now is to get more Greens in Parliament. Therefore, I view this role as a major responsibility and promise to take my duties as a candidate seriously.

With experience in media production, communication and public speaking, I believe that I have the skills necessary to convey our core messages online, in person or on the printed page.

No, I’m not a career politician – and I will happily sing that from the rooftops. I think people have had enough of those. Instead, I pride myself on being approachable, personable and grounded, which are all qualities I would seek to display from campaign materials to door-knocking.

Everyone should feel that they have a reachable representative to champion their concerns to relevant authorities, including the government of the day.

But people also want to know that their local candidate has a fine-tuned moral compass, which is why I won’t be shy about my support for a ceasefire in Gaza as well as an end to arming Israel. The ongoing destruction and death in the region will not bring lasting peace.

Ultimately, I hope to be a voice of reason. No matter what the right-wing media tries to tell us, it is rational to want clean air, efficient (and free) health and social care, safe schools and a peaceful world with a sustainable future. That’s just common sense.”

The post Green Party selects David Craig as candidate for Tottenham appeared first on Haringey Green Party.

The Green Party’s Zoë Garbett launched her campaign to become London Mayor this week, outlining key policies at an event in Bethnal Green.

She hopes to build on the strong performance by Siân Berry in 2021 (who placed third in the race for City Hall), with a victory that would block Labour’s Sadiq Khan from another term in office.

Of course, it won’t be easy, especially following the government’s decision to replace the long-used Supplementary Vote system with First Past the Post – which the Greens have previously called to retire.

Earlier this month, Khan attempted to use this regrettable development to frighten Garbett’s supporters into sending their votes in his direction. However, the Green candidate offered a persuasive counter.

She told The Independent: “If people want to vote Green, they can – and should! The Green Party has consistently come third in London and we are a growing force nationally.

“A Green mayor would be much more ambitious tackling the issues that really matter to voters: dealing with the housing crisis, making our city more affordable and a more accountable police service.

Garbett added: “Sadiq Khan should be focusing on his record – and the fact he isn’t suggests there isn’t much to be talking about. If he wants people to vote for him, he and the Labour Party need to be better.”

Read on for more details on why Zoë Garbett is the right choice for London on Thursday 2nd May – and how you can help her campaign.

Why should I vote Zoë Garbett for London Mayor?

Residents of London know all too well how expensive it is to live here – a problem exacerbated in recent years by the rising cost of everything from food and energy to transport and private renting.

If elected as mayor, Zoë Garbett would make the city more affordable with a slate of policies designed to alleviate the burdens currently being placed on working people.

Here are the headline commitments from her campaign launch this week:

• Transport: Extend free bus travel to under 22s and people seeking asylum. Plus, reinstate free pre-9am travel for Freedom Pass and 60+ Oyster card holders.
• Education: Provide free school meals for primary and secondary school children in a much-needed expansion of Khan’s existing policy.
• Renting: Seek a better deal for those navigating London’s hostile rental market by setting up a commission that could introduce a rent freeze – and work towards bringing them down.
• Housing: Buy back homes to increase the inadequate stock and build better, sustainable properties, which will minimise the cost of bills for residents as well as their environmental impact.

At the event, Garbett said: “The current Labour Mayor of London has failed to get to grips with the affordability crisis facing our city, and nationally, Labour are saying they will continue many of the Conservatives’ disastrous economic policies.

“Both the Conservatives and Labour have let London down. London desperately needs a Mayor that understands the issues that most Londoners are facing… We need a Green Mayor; now is the time.”

How can I help Zoë Garbett’s campaign for London Mayor?

There are several ways in which you can help Green Party candidate Zoë Garbett become London Mayor.

Leafleting

Consider getting in touch with representatives from your local Green Party about leafleting, which is still regarded as one of the most effective methods of political campaigning.

Of course, we are always conscious of the amount of paper we use, but don’t underestimate the difference this can make in getting voters to polling stations and persuading them to choose Green.

Amelia Womack, former Deputy Leader of the Green Party, explained: “I can tell you from first-hand experience of hundreds of Green wins – leafleting is vital. If we don’t do enough of it, we lose. It really is that simple.

“In reality, the choice we face when it comes to leafleting is between leaving voters ignorant of who we are, and without hope that things can change in their neighbourhood… or showing them why voting Green will be good for them, for their community and for their future.”

As we don’t have billionaire backers, the Green Party is reliant on the good will of its supporters to get the latest campaign materials through letterboxes. Can you help us?

Check out Haringey Green Party’s events for our next local leafleting session – we can guarantee friendly faces, but not necessarily sunny weather.

Alternatively, find a list of London-wide events here or get in touch with Zoë’s team for an invitation to her WhatsApp community, which offers regular updates on volunteering opportunities.

Sharing

Although it hasn’t supplanted more traditional methods just yet, spreading the word about Zoë Garbett on social media is hugely appreciated and can still make a valuable difference.

Please consider reposting content from her campaign on your preferred site(s), with regular updates currently being shared in the following places:

• X (formerly Twitter)
• Facebook
• Instagram
• TikTok

Engaging with posts on these platforms (such as by liking and commenting) can also help them spread further, courtesy of those mysterious algorithms that kindly assemble our daily feeds.

Donating

A crowdfunding page will be live until 5pm on Friday 12th April 2024 for anyone who wishes to make a monetary donation to Zoë Garbett’s mayoral campaign.

Anything you can spare to get us towards our ambitious target would be greatly appreciated – and spent wisely in our mission to get London its first Green mayor.

Donate to Zoë Garbett for London Mayor

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