Green By-Election Bid
Green Party Leader Zack Polanski Selected for Holborn and St Pancras By-Election
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Key Points
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The by-election was triggered by Keir Starmer’s resignation from the seat on September 1, with voting scheduled for October 8.
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Labour has held Holborn and St Pancras continuously since the constituency was created in 1983, underscoring the scale of a potential Green breakthrough.
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At the 2024 general election, an independent candidate campaigning mainly against Israel’s war in Gaza won nearly 19% of the vote, while the Green candidate received more than 10%; the independent has since ruled out standing in the by-election.
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Polanski told supporters, “Greens might be the underdog in this election, but we have the momentum and we can win,” framing the contest as a possible upset rather than simply a defensive campaign.
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In his acceptance speech, Polanski also pledged to stop water companies from discharging sewage into rivers while charging customers more, adding an environmental and public-services issue to his campaign platform.
Green Party leader Zack Polanski has been selected as the party's candidate for the October 8 by-election in Holborn and St Pancras, Keir Starmer's former seat. Newsy Today reports Polanski won 84% of the local members' ballot, defeating a local councillor who criticized candidates parachuted into constituencies. The race will test whether the Greens can convert strong local gains into a Westminster victory.
Labour has held this seat continuously since 1983 and is favored to retain it, but the Greens emerged as the strongest challenger after the 2024 general election. The Sun notes that Polanski plans to campaign on affordable housing, rent controls, lower bills, climate action, and opposition to new North Sea oil drilling. The by-election is also a test of the new Labour government's popularity among urban, educated voters.
Labour's 40-Year Grip on Inner London
Holborn and St Pancras has been a Labour stronghold since the constituency was created in 1983. In the 2024 general election, Labour won by more than 11,000 votes. However, green and independent candidates gained surprising support: an independent campaigning against Israel's war in Gaza won nearly 19%, while the Green candidate received over 10%. That independent has since ruled out standing in this by-election.
Polanski's Message: Momentum Over the Odds
My London reports that Polanski told supporters: "Greens might be the underdog in this election, but we have the momentum and we can win." In his acceptance speech, he pledged to stop water companies from discharging sewage into rivers while charging customers more. The framing positions the race as an upset opportunity rather than a symbolic campaign. His core platform centers on inequality, housing affordability, and climate protection.
Climate Policy Could Reshape Campaign Dynamics
Potential Labour government decisions on North Sea oil drilling could directly undermine the party's climate messaging. Approving the Jackdaw gas project would hand Polanski a concrete example to use against Labour among environmentally conscious voters. Hunts Post notes that delaying decisions on projects like Rosebank could reduce immediate political exposure. Energy policy has become inseparable from the Greens' central campaign argument in this affluent, climate-aware constituency.
A National Test for Green Party Viability
Selecting the party leader signals that the Greens are betting heavily on this race as both a local victory and a platform for national credibility. WDC News 6 reports Polanski is a London Assembly member with established local roots. A win would prove the Greens can convert protest votes and local-election gains into Westminster representation. A loss would limit momentum despite high-profile leadership and favorable urban demographics. The October 8 by-election will reveal whether the party's recent surge has real parliamentary potential.
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