Community campaigner Gulcin Ozdemir has won the Islington Council by-election for St George’s ward, receiving more than 45 per cent of the vote.

The vote took place yesterday following the resignation of Cllr Kat Fletcher. Turnout was 67.3pc and Cllr Ozdemir won 2,918 votes. Green candidate Natasha Cox came second with 2,501 votes, while Lib Dem Helen Redesdale received 738. Guilene Marco, for the Women's Equality Party, received 268 votes.

Born and bred in Islington, Cllr Ozdemir is a professional advocate for people living in social housing and was previously chair of the Parents Association at Christ the King Primary School. She is also involved in her daughter's primary school, which she also attended.

She first became involved in campaigning when she fought to save the A&E department at the Whittington Hospital, where she was born.

Cllr Ozdemir, said: "I am honoured to have been elected and to be given the opportunity to represent my community and to make a positive impact on the lives of local people.

"I will represent the needs and concerns of all local people, but especially those people who don't always have a platform where their voice is consistently heard.

"My top priorities will be improving community safety, ensuring we secure as many genuinely affordable homes for local people on the former Holloway Prison site and being there to help people when they need my support."