Green Victories Bring Costly Fallout

London councils are facing a fresh £120,000 headache after a sixth newly elected Green Party councillor left office before properly settling into the role.

Joanna Eaves, who won Clapham Park on May 7, became the latest departure, stepping aside because of ill health. She said: “I was honoured to have been voted in as Clapham Park’s first Green councillor, but due to my ill health, I now won’t be able to do the job justice. As a result, I’ve taken the difficult decision to resign.”

Her resignation adds to a string of setbacks for the party. Saiqa Ali, elected in Lambeth’s Streatham St Leonard ward, later declined to take up her seat after being arrested before polling day over allegations involving antisemitic social media posts. She was suspended by the Greens.

Simon Anthony, the party’s successful candidate in North Acton, Ealing, has also quit. Elsewhere, James Tilden in Hackney Central and Muhammed Naser in Camden’s Regent’s Park ward were forced out after it emerged that their local authority employment made them ineligible to serve as councillors.

A similar problem affected Jayon Henriques, who had been elected in Haringey’s Northumberland Park ward. The Greens have confirmed he could not sit on the council, although they have not explained the specific reason.

The departures mean by-elections will now be required in Camden, Haringey, Ealing, Lambeth and Hackney. Each contest is expected to cost between £20,000 and £25,000, putting further pressure on already stretched town hall budgets.

The disruption comes after a bruising London election result for Labour under Sir Keir Starmer. Zack Polanski’s Greens capitalised on that weakness, taking control of Lewisham, Hackney and Waltham.