Meet the Independents: Hackney's Council Candidates Breaking the Mould
From yoga teachers to tech CEOs, a new wave of independent candidates is shaking up the local elections with policies that don't fit neatly into party lines.
Hackney Live Politics Desk
14 Apr 2026
The 7 May council elections are attracting an unusually high number of independent candidates across Hackney, reflecting a broader trend of voters seeking alternatives to established party politics at the local level.
Among the most prominent is Rafie Faruq, standing for London Fields ward. Faruq is a yoga teacher, CEO of Google-backed legal tech company Genie AI, and community first responder who has facilitated over 100 community events including meditation sessions and kirtan singing circles. A former economist who managed a £1 billion bond portfolio, he has been featured in the Financial Times, BBC, Sky News and Forbes.
Faruq's three-pillar platform covers housing and child poverty (including his flagship pledge that no Hackney child should spend more than six weeks in B&B accommodation), arts and culture protection (adopting the Agent of Change principle and opposing developments that threaten music venues), and community wellbeing (social prescribers in every GP practice and peppercorn rates for community hall hire).
"People are tired of being governed by those who don't live the reality of this borough," Faruq told Hackney Live. "I teach yoga in the morning, run a tech company in the afternoon, and knock on doors in the evening. That's not a contradiction — that's Hackney." His full policy platform is at www.rafiefaruq.com.
The rise of independents comes at a time when trust in party politics is at historic lows nationally. In Hackney, where Labour has controlled the council since 2010, independent candidates are positioning themselves as a way to bring fresh perspectives and accountability to local government.
Voter registration for the 7 May elections closes on 16 April. You can register online at gov.uk/register-to-vote.