Soraya Adejare and M Can Ozsen have been Hackney councillors for the past 12 years. 

During that time they have been anti-racist campaigners, advocated for social housing and supported vulnerable people with the cost of living crisis, using every opportunity to highlight their plight and the various solutions. 

As Chair of Living in Hackney, Soraya has worked tirelessly to ensure residents’ voices are heard and to hold landlords and police to account. As a black, working class woman who grew up in Hackney, Soraya has excellent understanding of the community and as a social tenant and single mother she can empathise with many of our residents. 

M Can is Turkish speaking and also lives in social housing, meaning he has a good understanding of the housing system. He works very closely with Hackney’s large Turkish and Kurdish population, organising community events, hosting international politicians and advocating and translating for Turkish speakers across Hackney. He is a prolific campaigner and has raised large sums of money for his local branch and for Hackney Labour Party. 

Over the years, they have worked conscientiously with diverse religious and cultural communities across the entirety of Hackney practising social justice and demonstrating core Labour values. They have also continued to maintain and build majorities in the wards they have stood in.

In summer 2025 Soraya and M. Can were interviewed by a panel ahead of selections for the 2026 local elections, after which they were informed that they had failed their interviews.  Both were told they had lost their appeals, however the process was opaque and emails seeking clarity went unanswered. Despite support from Mayor Caroline Woodley and motions passed by Labour members at the CLP, with just one day left before shortlisting, there has been no indication that London Region will discuss or review their decision. 

We the undersigned are very disappointed by this treatment of excellent local councillors who are deeply rooted in the community and want to keep serving their constituents. We ask that London Region reverses the decision to exclude them from the panel.