Hackney Greens accused of hypocrisy over 'convener' role

Hackney Labour councillor Ben Lucas has accused the Green Party of hypocrisy following the appointment of a councillor to a role functionally similar to a party whip. The Green Party had previously campaigned on a platform that included not having a 'whip' system to organise councillors.

Accusations of contradiction

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The debate emerged during a council meeting on Wednesday, 23 September 2026. Councillor Lucas had previously raised the issue on social media platform X, addressing Mayor Zoë Garbett. He questioned the appointment of a 'majority group whip' given the Green Party's campaign promises and the Mayor's own emphasis on savings from a smaller cabinet.

During the meeting, Councillor Lucas argued that the role of 'convener', held by Green councillor George Sheldon Grün, was essentially the same as a whip. He stated that Grün's appointment could be seen as 'confusing' and 'hypocritical' by Hackney residents, especially since the Greens had pledged not to use such a system during their election campaign.

The council's website lists George Sheldon Grün's title as 'majority group whip'. According to the council members' allowance sheet for the 2026/27 financial year, this position receives an additional publicly funded allowance of £6,724.20.

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Green Party response

Councillor Ülgen Semerci, who holds the roles of majority group secretary and chair of the corporate committee, responded to the allegations. She stated that the role of convener, as held by Councillor Sheldon Grün, is the closest to that of a whip and undertakes related council functions. These include cross-party discussions before full council sessions, and the term 'whip' is used in documents concerning special responsibility allowances.

Councillor Semerci also addressed the financial aspect, noting that neither the leader nor deputy leader of the Green group receive allowances for their leadership roles, as they receive remuneration from their positions as committee chairs. She claimed that the current leadership saves Hackney residents £6,000 by not taking leadership allowances, with the convener being the only leadership figure to receive an allowance for that capacity. The actual saving is £5,275.80, calculated as the difference between a £12,000 budget for group leadership and the convener's £6,724.20 allowance.

She added that the Green Party believes typical whip systems rely on coercion and discipline. Their current approach aims to build consensus and provide pastoral care for their members, who are in high-stress jobs serving their communities. Councillor Semerci indicated a willingness to work with opposition colleagues to change the term 'whip' to 'convener' within the council's internal usage if it caused issues for Labour councillors.

Concerns over public perception

Councillor Ben Lucas countered that regardless of the terminology used, taxpayers are funding a political role that the Greens explicitly campaigned against. He described the explanation that the contradiction is avoided by calling the post a 'convener' as 'insulting'. He argued that the fundamental functions of a whip are coordination and support for councillors, and that the Greens should be honest about this role, which differs from what they presented to voters.

Lucas concluded that at best, the situation is confusing, and at worst, it is contradictory. He suggested that many Hackney residents would perceive hypocrisy if the Greens cannot see the contradiction in having the public fund a role they campaigned against.