The Greens Believe They Can Win in Chiswick

Party announces candidates for Homefields and Riverside wards

Rick Rowe (left) and Maya Hamlyn (right)

April 11, 2026

The Green Party has announced its candidates for two Chiswick wards in which polling is suggesting it may have a realistic hope of gaining a seat.

The party has selected Rick Rowe and Muddassir Syed to contest Chiswick Riverside — which polling organisation PollCheck currently identifies as one of the borough's key battleground wards. Its ward-level modelling puts the Greens ahead of the Conservatives by 2.2 percentage points there. Mr Rowe brings substantial public sector experience, having served as Head of Policy – New Services at Transport for London, with a career spanning transport, regulation, and commercial strategy.

A Chiswick Riverside resident himself, Rowe says he is standing because local people deserve better. "I'm standing because I believe people want something better: honest local leadership, practical action and councillors who are visible, responsive and genuinely on their side."

A Hounslow Green Party spokesperson called him "exactly the kind of candidate Chiswick Riverside needs," citing his professional expertise and firsthand knowledge of the community.

NHS worker Muddassir Syed is currently working on a new concept to provide affordable food replacement shakes through vending machines, alongside offering interest-free loans to help people avoid loan sharks. He says he is committed to tackling pollution, protecting green spaces, and improving well-being across the community.

He adds, “From traffic congestion to increasing development along the Thames, Chiswick Riverside faces real challenges.

“I will work for cleaner air and water, safer and more reliable transport, and more affordable, energy-efficient homes that people can truly live in. I also believe in building a stronger, more connected community: supporting local businesses, improving accessibility, and creating opportunities through skills initiatives. As your local councillor, I will listen, act with integrity, and stand up for fairness, sustainability, and real change.”

Muddassir Syed

The other newly minted candidate is Maya Hamlyn, a lifelong Chiswick resident standing in the Homefields ward where PollCheck predicts the Greens could also win one seat. Currently completing a degree in Chemistry, Ms Hamlyn has deep roots in the community, having worked locally as a pub employee and nanny. Her campaign priorities centre on clean streets, air quality, and the protection of green spaces — including the much-loved Chiswick House grounds. "If elected I will do my utmost to ensure our streets and air are clean and to protect our green spaces," she said. "They are crucial to our quality of life." She has also highlighted creating safe spaces for women and achieving net zero as central to her platform, adding: "The Green Party is the only party that prioritises and protects the needs of all people while fighting for green policies to protect our planet."

In Chiswick Gunnersbury, announced in February that they were fielding two long-standing local residents: Aubrey Crawley and Jon Elkon. Mr. Crawley, who previously stood briefly as a Labour candidate for the same ward before resigning, cited disillusionment with Labour's leadership. His priorities include tackling crime, supporting independent businesses, and addressing traffic. He is also the founder of the West London Queer Project, a social enterprise supporting LGBTQ+ communities. Mr Elkon, a joint coordinator of the Hounslow Green Party, has lived in Chiswick for 25 years and runs the Bushido Karate Club at ArtsEd. PollCheck currently expects the Conservatives to hold Gunnersbury.

At borough level, Labour is projected to retain its majority on Hounslow Council, though opposition parties — including the Greens — are expected to make inroads in both the west and east of the borough.

Candidate Lists — Chiswick Wards (Hounslow Council, 7 May 2026)

The London Borough of Hounslow will hold its next local elections on Thursday 7 May, with voters across the borough electing councillors to represent 22 wards.