Victoria Jones/PA)
Sian Berry has resigned from her role on the London Assembly… just three days after winning back her seat in the local elections.
The Green Party’s former co-leader has handed her place on the elected body to Zoe Garbett, who ran as the party’s mayoral candidate, picking up 5.8 per cent of the vote.
Berry is running to replace Caroline Lucas as Green MP for Brighton Pavilion, one of two seats the Greens are hoping to secure at the next election alongside Bristol Central.
Commenting on Tuesday, she said: “Zoë has shown how much of a difference she will make in City Hall, listening to Londoners and bringing their voices into the political debate.
“That’s why she needs to be in this job as soon as possible. She is already a brilliant councillor and will be a brilliant assembly member for Londoners.”
Berry had served on the Assembly since 2016, and was the Green mayoral candidate in 2008, 2016 and 2021.
Like her fellow Green colleagues, she was re-elected to City Hall on Saturday as a London-wide assembly member, as part of a list of candidates put up by the party.
The Greens received 11.6 per cent of the vote on that ballot, which was only enough to get their top three candidates elected as assembly members.
Caroline Russell and Zack Polanski are the other candidates to take up seats, while Garbett was placed fourth on the list, meaning that she narrowly missed out on joining them.
Berry’s resignation means that Ms Garbett is automatically allowed to take her place, with no by-election required.
The same procedure has been used in the past when assembly members like David Lammy and Kemi Badenoch – both now senior MPs – decided to leave the Assembly mid-term, as they won seats in Parliament.
Leader of the Green Group, Caroline Russell AM, at City Hall, said: “After an incredible campaign putting Londoners first, I am thrilled we could bring Zoë into the Green Group at City Hall.
“After following the required internal and legal process here at the Assembly, we just signed the official paperwork this afternoon to make the transition as quickly as possible.”
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