In London’s traditionally Labour-dominated Hackney district, human rights attorney Nadeshda Jayakody represents a growing number of progressive voters abandoning the ruling party for the Greens—a shift that threatens Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s political base in Britain’s capital.
The 34-year-old lawyer, who supported Labour in last year’s general election, explained her change of heart: “I just think the Greens align better with what I stand for. Labour is pandering towards the right, towards Reform, rather than trying to lead from the centre or the left.”
Starmer’s Labour government faces mounting pressure as it adopts more conservative positions on immigration and other issues to counter the rising influence of Nigel Farage’s right-wing Reform UK party. This strategy appears to be alienating traditional progressive supporters in urban areas.
The upcoming London council elections on May 7 are part of nationwide voting that could seriously damage Starmer’s leadership. Despite Labour’s overwhelming victory in the 2024 general election, polling shows the Prime Minister’s approval ratings have collapsed since taking office.
A series of controversies and the perception that Labour has failed to deliver promised improvements to living standards have left the party expecting significant defeats—to Reform in former industrial regions and to the Greens in major metropolitan areas.
The Green Party has gained considerable traction since Zack Polanski assumed leadership in September and steered the organization further left. Beyond traditional environmental concerns, Polanski has advocated for increased taxes on wealthy individuals, rental price controls, and drug legalization. Recent polling shows the Greens capturing 15-20% of national support, occasionally surpassing Labour.
A shocking Green victory in a previously safe Labour parliamentary district in Greater Manchester this February undermined Starmer’s argument that Labour remains the only progressive force capable of defeating Reform.
Zoë Garbett, the Green candidate for Hackney mayor, noted the impact of that victory: “People on the doorstep in Hackney really were following that and really could see that we are an alternative.”
Garbett observed that potential voters in Hackney—where Labour has dominated the council since the 1970s—express frustration with the party on multiple fronts, from local housing problems to its position on the Gaza conflict.
Recent polling indicates competitive races across several London boroughs. A YouGov analysis from last month showed the Greens leading in four London boroughs, including Hackney, while JL Partners data placed them slightly ahead in Camden, which contains Starmer’s own parliamentary constituency. Reform UK could perform well in some outer London areas.
Starmer maintains his administration is addressing national priorities such as stabilizing government finances, reducing child poverty, and decreasing hospital wait times during a period of significant global challenges.
The Green Party has faced scrutiny after some candidates were accused of antisemitic behavior. Polanski, who is Jewish, acknowledged that any instance of antisemitism is unacceptable while arguing the issue shouldn’t be confused with legitimate criticism of Israel.
London’s police chief criticized him last week for sharing a social media post that condemned officers’ handling of an arrest following the stabbing of two Jewish individuals in north London.
Even with growing Green support in Hackney, some residents remain loyal to Labour in this district where the party won by nearly 40 percentage points in 2024.
Mel Bagshaw, a 69-year-old photographer, said he would continue supporting Labour because the party traditionally champions society’s most vulnerable members, calling the Greens “slightly too radical for me.”
Sophie Bullock, a 39-year-old operations manager and usual Labour voter, described feeling conflicted between wanting “some consistency and some stability” by supporting Starmer versus being attracted to the Greens’ “refreshing” approach.
Green candidate Garbett believes voters feel “really let down by the establishment parties” nationally. “I think we’ve seen a real change in politics, and I think this election is going to be a real change for London,” she said.
