Alex Clarke resigned as local councillor for Harton ward just 42 days after being elected.

Full statement

Outed for sexist, homophobic and racist comments, admitting he'd "only expected to have to go to six meetings a year." Now South Tyneside taxpayers are footing a £20,000–£25,000 bill for a by-election that should never have been necessary.

We're not letting that go unanswered.

We need to raise £2,000 to get our message out to every resident in Harton - and we need your help to do it. Unlike others, we're not funded by tech bro's and ultra rich individuals - we're powered by people like you. That means our ONLY interests are people and planet and we'll put you first, every time.

The numbers tell the story.

In May 2026, 1 in 4 South Tyneside voters backed the Greens, our best ever local election result. In Harton ward specifically, we were one of only two parties to gain vote share across the last two election cycles. Reform went up. We went up - growing our strong, capable official opposition group of councillors to 10.

Everyone else collapsed.

Labour went from controlling South Tyneside Council outright to a single councillor. The independents support collapsed entirely - falling from 16 seats to just 2.

This isn't a three-way contest. This is Green versus Reform, and it always was.

Harton deserves a councillor who actually shows up.

Not one who resigns in six weeks. Not one who'll be told how to vote or what to say by party bosses or group leaders from the top. A Green councillor, part of the strongest opposition group South Tyneside Council has ever seen who will turn up, speak up, and fight for a better deal for local people.

The Greens are now the official opposition on South Tyneside Council. A Green voice in Harton means the people of this ward are represented where it counts. Someone who takes the job seriously, because this community deserves nothing less.

Every pound raised goes directly into getting our message to Harton residents - leaflets through doors, literature that makes the case clearly, and the resources to run a proper campaign.

We have the momentum. We just need the means to reach every home.