Melissa Harker, the North East's first openly trans councillor, has spoken about her 'wild' election victory, the future of the Greens in Gateshead, and the controversial A167 flyover. Harker, a 29-year-old software developer, was elected to represent the Bridges ward on Gateshead Council on May 7, alongside fellow Green Party colleagues Rachel Cabral and Mark Gorman.
Election shock and Green breakthrough
The local elections saw Labour lose its over-50-year hold on power in Gateshead, with Reform UK winning a majority. The Greens secured all three seats in the Bridges ward, a significant breakthrough for the party. Harker said she stood because she was 'tired' of politics after the Partygate scandal and Covid-19, having consistently voted Green. She admitted that becoming the first openly trans councillor in the North East was 'wild' and that friends questioned whether Gateshead would ever elect a trans person.
Positive campaigning experience
Despite some negative online commentary, Harker reported a largely positive experience on the doorstep. 'On the doors, everyone was saying go for it, really happy or it just didn't really cop to them that I was a trans person running for office, which is nice and indicative of how most people feel outside of the vitriol and what you see in news media sometimes,' she said.
Priorities for Bridges ward
Harker highlighted the deprivation in Bridges and issues with the High Street. She stressed the need to address the A167 flyover, a major local issue. 'Traffic is going to be something we will obviously need to think about, and people obviously will use cars. But we should think about making it work a lot more for people who want to come in by bus or might want to walk in and around the town centre, and make them feel safe walking around without having to watch out for cars,' she said, praising the pedestrianisation of Trinity Square.
Future of the Greens
Looking ahead to the next local elections, Harker expressed hope that the Greens could expand beyond Bridges. 'We’re always going to be looking for expansion. I think when we got Bridges, we were thinking this is a bit of a beachhead, and let’s see what we can do from here,' she said. She added that representation matters and can inspire others to enter politics.
