Zack Polanski to Run for Keir Starmer’s Former Seat in Holborn and St Pancras Byelection
Green Party leader Zack Polanski has announced his candidacy for the House of Commons seat in Holborn and St Pancras. He is stepping into the upcoming by-election triggered by the departure of Keir Starmer, according to reporting by the BBC, The Guardian, and Financial Times.
Polanski Enters Holborn and St Pancras Race
Local Green members in Holborn and St Pancras still need to formally select their candidate through a process concluding next Friday. However, The Guardian notes that Polanski’s endorsement appears inevitable given the party’s growth under his leadership.
Targeting Struggling Voters in North London
Polanski told the Camden New Journal that he intends to “stand up for people struggling to pay their bills.” He also expressed confidence that his party can secure the north London constituency, as reported by The Guardian.
Polanski is a London Assembly member who lives in east London and previously resided in the constituency. He stated that the area had “been held back by governments who have failed to make the changes to improve people’s lives,” according to The Guardian.
The Green Party plans to deploy campaigners to the constituency using a mobilization model similar to the one employed in Greater Manchester’s Gorton and Denton in February.
The Fallout from Starmer’s Departure
The constituency was previously represented by Starmer. He announced on Tuesday that he was stepping down from the seat following his departure as prime minister.
Starmer’s majority in the seat dropped to 11,500 at the last election amid a challenge from the left, down from nearly 28,000 previously. The Greens finished third in that contest, with left-wing independent Andrew Feinstein serving as Starmer’s main competitor.
Feinstein Steps Aside for the Greens
Feinstein confirmed on Thursday that he will not run in the by-election. He indicated that the Camden People’s Alliance—the group stemming from his previous campaign—will likely support the Greens, according to The Guardian.
Luke Tryl, chief executive of the polling firm More in Common, told The Guardian that the contest would be “genuinely consequential” in defining the electoral landscape on the left of British politics.
Labour Prepares to Defend Its Stronghold
The race also features a resurgent Labour party under Andy Burnham. Labour is yet to select its candidate, though Camden council leader Sagal Abdi-Wali is widely viewed as a potential contender, per BBC and Guardian reports.
Local Greens plan to build on their momentum from May’s local elections, where the party secured 10 seats on the Camden council.