Residents have gone to the polls today to vote for the next Mayor of London and the borough’s London Assembly representative.

They will decide who will take the North East London seat, which also takes in the boroughs of Hackney and Waltham Forest.

Candidates battling it out for votes are Jennette Arnold of Labour, Lib Dem Farooq Qureshi, Conservative Naomi Abigail Newstead, Paul Kevin Wiffen of Fresh Choice for London as well as Independent candidate Ijaz Hayat.

People in the Holloway ward will also be having their say on who they want to represent the area on Islington Council in a by-election sparked by the departure of Cllr Lucy Rigby, who resigned to pursue a parliamentary seat.

London Elects – the body that runs the elections – has called on voters to ensure they have their say.

John Bennett, Greater London returning officer, said: “It only takes a few minutes to vote on the three ballot papers for the Mayor of London, Constituency London Assembly Members and London-wide Assembly Members.

“This is your chance to say how you would like your London for the next four years.”