Nadia Barton Ahmad was today announced as the Brighton & Hove Green Party candidate for the Goldsmid by-election.
Nadia, 22, is a community campaigner who lives locally in Seven Dials and is currently chair of Friends of Dyke Road Park. She has played a key role in their campaign to protect community green spaces in the area, as well as being a long-term advocate supporting homeless women and campaigning against period poverty.
With the Greens surging in the polls, record membership numbers and record Green wins expected across the country in this Thursday’s local elections, the Greens are expecting to win in Goldsmid too.
This confidence was demonstrated as campaigning began immediately on Friday evening in the ward – only hours after the resignation of Councillor Jackie O’Quinn was announced, and with no date set for the by-election.
This will be the 7th by-election in 3 years of Labour control, all caused by resignations by councillors originally elected in 2023 as Labour representatives. The most recent by-election in Queen’s Park last September saw a decisive Green win – overturning a Labour majority of 16% to win with 48% – one of the biggest swings in the council’s history.
The by-election comes as residents across Brighton & Hove continue to see rents, bills, and the cost of living climb, as well as concerns over the impact of ongoing cuts under Labour that have included library closures or reductions at four libraries across the city. It is expected that both issues will be vital to residents across the by-election campaign.
Nadia Barton Ahmad, Green Party candidate for Goldsmid says:
“I’m so proud to be selected as the Green candidate for Goldsmid. This election is happening at a critical time for our city: the cost of living keeps going up, and too many residents simply don’t feel listened to. I grew up in our city and have seen how unaffordable living here has become. Our communities deserve better. As a local campaigner for community green spaces, I am committed to standing up for our area, and I’m just as committed to standing up for you and your rights.
We’ve seen the impact Greens can have in our city and beyond – it’s time to send a message that we don’t have to settle for Labour cuts, and that hope is possible here too. As the councillor for Goldsmid, I will work tirelessly to make Brighton and Hove fairer and greener.”
Councillor Steve Davis, Green Group Convenor & Leader of the Opposition says:
Nadia is an incredibly hard worker, and she’ll be a brilliant addition to our Green councillor team after this by-election. The last time voters were given a choice between Labour and the Green Party at a by-election in this city, we overturned a big Labour majority to win decisively. I am confident that we will do the same again here.”