Zack Polanski has confirmed his intention to be the Green candidate in the by-election for Keir Starmer's former seat in Holborn & St Pancras. Polanski expressed enthusiasm about representing the community, stating, 'I have lived and worked in this community over many years, I know it well and I love it.' He emphasized the potential of the area and criticized past governments for not improving residents' lives.
The by-election is expected to be competitive, particularly against Labour, which has held the seat since its creation in 1983. Labour aims to retain the constituency, which has seen a decline in support for Starmer, who had a majority of 11,000 in 2024, down from 27,763 in 2019.
There are reports of dissent within the local Green party, with some members advocating for a British Palestinian or pro-Gaza independent candidate. The Greens previously secured 11 council seats in Camden, with seven in the Holborn & St Pancras area, although they lost one seat to Labour in a recent by-election.
Labour is working to finalize its candidate by next Wednesday, with the by-election potentially scheduled for October 1 or 8. The party has faced internal disputes, particularly regarding candidates from outside the area. Tulip Siddiq, an MP for a neighboring constituency, criticized those who did not campaign locally during the recent elections.
The constituency is part of Camden, where local elections were held in May, resulting in Labour retaining control of the council but with a reduced number of seats.