Zoë Garbett is a British politician currently serving as a member of the London Assembly for the Green Party since May 2024.

Zoë Garbett
Zoë Garbett in 2023
Member of the London Assembly
for Londonwide
Assumed office
7 May 2024
Preceded bySiân Berry
Hackney Borough Councillor
for Dalston ward
Assumed office
5 May 2022
Personal details
Political partyGreen Party of England and Wales
Websitehttps://zoe4london.co.uk/

She was the Green Party candidate for Mayor of London in the 2024 London mayoral election. She was fourth on the Green Party's list for the London Assembly, and was not elected; however, Siân Berry resigned to allow Garbett to take her place.[1]

Garbett currently serves as Leader of the Green Party on Hackney London Borough Council, as well as the councillor for Dalston ward since May 2022. She previously ran for Mayor of Hackney in the 2023 by-election.[2]

Early life

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Garbett grew up in Taunton, Somerset.[3] She attended Richard Huish College.[4]

Political career

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Garbett's official portrait on Hackney London Borough Council, c. 2024

Garbett was first elected as a councillor for Hackney in Dalston ward in May 2022, receiving 1,446 votes with a turnout of 37.77%;[5] she was the first green councillor to be elected to the position. During the same elections she was the Green candidate for the directly elected executive Mayor of Hackney, coming in second place with 17% of the vote.[6]

On 10 February 2023 she was announced as the Green Party candidate for the 2024 London Mayor election.[7]

Following Hackney mayor Philip Glanville's suspension over a photograph taken with Cllr Tom Dewey, Garbett put forward a motion of no-confidence, but it did not reach a debate of the full council.[8] Mayor Glanville resigned two weeks later, vacating the position on 22 September 2023 and triggering a mayoral by-election.[9]

Shortly after she was announced as a candidate in the Mayoral by-election held on 9 November 2023,[10][11] questions were raised about her commitment to the campaign for City Hall, to which she answered: “I don’t think you could do both jobs, but I think you could run in both elections. Well - you could be the Mayor of Hackney whilst running to be the Mayor of London.”[12]

Garbett launched her manifesto on 8 April 2024.[13][14]

Personal life

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Garbett is openly queer.[15]

References

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  1. ^ "Greens' Sian Berry quits London Assembly just three days after re-election". Evening Standard. 7 May 2024. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
  2. ^ Franks, Josephine (16 June 2023). "Who is Zoë Garbett? The NHS worker and Green candidate vying to be London mayor". Sky News. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  3. ^ Evans, Rhodri (23 March 2022). "Zoë Garbett: 'Now is the time for the Greens to move from opposition to shaping the policy of Hackney'". Hackney Post. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
  4. ^ Leaman, Tom (10 April 2024). "Taunton's Zoë Garbett running to become Green London mayor". Somerset County Gazette. Retrieved 7 May 2024.(subscription required)
  5. ^ "Council election results". hackney.gov.uk. 21 July 2022. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  6. ^ "Mayoral election results". hackney.gov.uk. 21 July 2022. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  7. ^ Kevin, Hand (10 February 2023). "Zoe Garbett: Green Party names London mayoral campaign candidate". BBC News. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  8. ^ Rufo, Yasmin (8 September 2023). "Philip Glanville: Hackney mayor faces no-confidence motion". BBC News. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  9. ^ Gregory, Julia (16 September 2023). "Hackney mayor resigns after photo with disgraced councillor". BBC News. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  10. ^ Kelly, James W (14 October 2023). "Hackney mayoral by-election candidates announced". BBC News. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  11. ^ Mendonça, Susana (4 November 2023). "Hackney mayor candidate campaigns underway as by-election looms". BBC News. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  12. ^ Vickers, Noah (4 November 2023). "Green London mayoral candidate still 'committed' to City Hall campaign despite bid to be Hackney mayor". Evening Standard. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  13. ^ "London mayoral elections: Zoe Garbett pledges flat Tube fare in Green manifesto". BBC News. 8 April 2024.
  14. ^ "Sadiq Khan holds 19pt lead over Susan Hall with two weeks to go | YouGov".
  15. ^ Garbett, Zoë (23 January 2023). "I want to tackle inequality across London". Bright Green. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
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