Lindsey Garrett Explained

Lindsey Garrett is a British social housing campaigner, National Health Service care co-ordinator and political activist. Garrett is currently the Chair of the New Era Tenants Association. She is also the Something New candidate for Mayor of London at the 2016 London mayoral election.

New Era estate

When Westbrook Partners attempted to evict 93 families from the New Era estate and double the rent of those left, Garrett was instrumental from preventing that from happening. Garrett was responsible for first contacting the Daily Mirror with the story and was later elected the first Chair of the New Era Tenants Association.[1] She campaigned alongside political activist and comedian, Russell Brand. Garrett presented a petition to 10 Downing Street alongside Brand that had almost 300,000 signatures. Garrett helped lead a demonstration outside Westbrook Partner's offices in London.[2]

London Mayor campaign

Garrett has said that she is a traditional Labour voter and has always voted for Labour, but said that she feels let down by the party, in particular her local MP Meg Hillier, and that she does not think that the Labour Party care about people like her anymore.[3]

On 14 May 2015, it was announced that Garrett would be standing as Something New's candidate for Mayor of London in the 2016 London mayoral election.[4] [5] She is standing on a platform of further devolution to London, electoral reform including votes at 16 and also reducing the privileges of the City of London Corporation.[6] However, on Monday 30 November 2015, it was announced via the Something New website that she had withdrawn as candidate.[7]

Notes and References

  1. News: Garrett. Lindsey. With Russell Brand and the public on our side, this is how I helped my family and countless others from being evicted this Christmas. https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220614/https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/without-russell-brands-help-my-family-and-countless-others-would-have-been-evicted-from-our-homes-this-christmas-9938601.html . 2022-06-14 . subscription . live. 14 May 2015. The Independent. 21 December 2014.
  2. News: Booth. Robert. New Era estate: residents stage protest at US investment firm’s office. 15 May 2015. The Guardian. 1 December 2014.
  3. News: Benge. James. Lindsey Garrett: they would "have had to drag me out". 14 May 2015. East London Lines. 22 March 2015.
  4. News: Church. Brian. New Era estate campaigner Lindsey Garrett to run for Mayor of London. 14 May 2015. 24dash. 14 May 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150516084256/http://www.24dash.com/news/central_government/2015-05-13-Exclusive-New-party-to-run-housing-focused-candidate-for-Mayor-of-London. 16 May 2015. dead.
  5. News: Harris. Simon. Campaigner who fought housing evictions to stand in mayoral race. 14 May 2015. ITV News. 14 May 2015.
  6. News: Garrett. Lindsey. I don’t want to be London mayor, but who else will do what needs to be done?. 15 May 2015. The Guardian. 15 May 2015.
  7. Web site: Williams. Andrew. REBOOTING SOMETHING NEW. 30 November 2015. 30 November 2015.