Claire Sheppard from the Green Party has beaten the Conservatives to second place for the London Assembly constituency seat for Lambeth and Southwark, which was won by Labour.
Sheppard achieved 36,933 of the votes, an improvement on the Greens third place position in 2016 where they achieved 18.5% of the votes.
Sheppard said: “I’m really chuffed that the people of Lambeth and Southwark have heard the message.
“We’ve been going out, pounding the streets, handing out leaflet after leaflet and I’ve been meeting residents across Lambeth and Southwark to show if you go out there and speak to voters, they respond to that.
“I hope that this gives whoever wins the mayoral election a strong message that Londoners really care about issues.
“I hope they steal wholesale from our manifesto because there’s some ideas that would work so well for so many Londoners.”
Labour secured their seat in the London Assembly with 91,949 votes.
Marina Ahmad is taking over from her predecessor Florence Eshalomi who won the election in 2016.
Labour has held the seat since the first assembly elections in 2000.
Ahmad made reference to the hardships that the UK has faced over the last year and her gratitude towards the NHS.
Ahmad said: “A year ago I had Covid, and I was really ill with Covid and I believe that we, as a country, owe the people, our NHS, the care sector, the frontline workers, the bus drivers, the shop workers, who went to work to keep our economy going, during this crisis, people who put their lives at risk.
“So, our job now, let’s hope, it won’t surprise you to know, that I hope Sadiq Khan will be our Labour Mayor tomorrow.
“Our job is to rebuild London’s economy in a green and sustainable way, to focus on jobs, training and investment; to invest in local businesses which are the backbone of the local economies.”
The Green Party’s success in the area is proof that the constituents of Lambeth and Southwark agree.
Ahmad rallied her support around the London Mayor Sadiq Khan.
“We must, must, must, get the best deal for London and a Labour Mayor will absolutely do that and we know that is what will happen if we get a Labour Mayor.
“I think today’s results shows exactly what Lambeth and Southwark wanted. They want someone who is committed to working for them and their issues – looking at child poverty, dealing with the issues of crime, toxic air in London, toxic air in the streets of Lambeth and Southwark. An environmental agenda that, we hope, will be the greenest constituency in London, but working across London on these issues,” said Ahmad.
It is evident that Ahmad is aware of the environmental concerns that the people of Lambeth and Southwark have, the Green Party’s success tonight was further confirmation of this.
Featured Image: Hollie Beale
