Zack Polanski eyes Holborn and St Pancras by election bid

A by-election in Holborn and St Pancras would be watched far beyond north London. The seat has long been seen as Labour territory, but Green Party leader Zack Polanski has now confirmed he wants to stand after Sir Keir Starmer’s resignation as an MP.

Polanski, who currently sits on the London Assembly, said he was “so excited by the prospect” of becoming the first Green MP for Holborn and St Pancras. He is not yet the official candidate. Local Green Party members still need to select him, though his public comments suggest he expects that process to move in his favour.

For the Greens, the contest offers a rare chance to turn local momentum into a Westminster breakthrough. For Labour, it could become an early test of whether a familiar stronghold remains safe when the political map is shifting.

Holborn and St Pancras could become a high-profile test for Labour and the Greens.

Why this seat matters beyond one constituency

Holborn and St Pancras carries symbolic weight. It has been closely associated with Labour at the highest level because of Starmer’s role as party leader and Prime Minister. A by-election there would not be treated as a routine local contest, even if the issues on the doorstep remain local.

The Greens’ interest comes after they came second to Labour in local elections in the area earlier this year. Local election results do not always transfer neatly to Westminster contests, but they do show where a party has active support, volunteers and name recognition.

That matters in a by-election. Turnout is often lower than in a general election, and parties with motivated activists can sometimes close gaps that look large on paper. The Greens will see this as a seat where they can argue that their politics already has a base.

Polanski also brings a profile that most by-election challengers do not have. As Green Party leader and a London Assembly member, he already has experience campaigning across the capital. His supporters will argue that this gives the party a ready-made candidate for a high-pressure contest.

The key question is whether local enthusiasm can become Westminster-level support.

Polanski’s path still runs through local members

Polanski cannot simply declare himself the candidate. The Green Party’s local members must select their nominee for the by-election. That process matters because it will shape the tone of the campaign from the start.

His statement that he is “so excited by the prospect” of standing makes his intention clear. It also signals a level of confidence that local backing is within reach.

Still, selection contests can expose tensions inside parties. Recent reports have suggested splits among local Green activists, with some said to favour a pro-Gaza candidate instead. The issue could become significant if members feel the party should prioritise a candidate more closely associated with that cause.

The Green candidate still has to be chosen by local party members.

The Greens will want to avoid a messy local row becoming the story. A united campaign could frame the contest around climate, housing, public services and international justice. A divided one risks spending precious days explaining internal disagreements.

For Polanski, the challenge is to show that his leadership profile does not come at the expense of local credibility. By-elections are often won through small, repeated contacts with voters rather than national attention alone.

Labour faces a different kind of defence

Labour starts with the advantage of history in Holborn and St Pancras. The seat has been a stronghold, and that matters. Long-standing party networks, local councillors and voter habits all give Labour a base that rivals must work hard to challenge.

Yet by-elections can produce different pressures from general elections. Voters may treat them as a chance to send a message. Smaller parties often benefit when the national government is under scrutiny, especially if the governing party is defending the seat.

Labour’s campaign will likely focus on continuity, local representation and the argument that the constituency is better served by an MP from the party of government. The party will also want to prevent the contest becoming a straight protest vote.

The Greens, by contrast, need to make the race feel winnable. Coming second in local elections gives them a starting point, but the leap to winning a parliamentary seat is large. They would need to persuade Labour voters, attract people who do not usually vote Green, and mobilise those who might otherwise stay at home.

That is why candidate choice matters so much. A by-election campaign has little time to define itself.

Campaign material will be central once the by-election timetable is confirmed.

The Gaza question could shape the local debate

Reports of some Green activists favouring a pro-Gaza candidate point to a wider political pressure. Across parts of London, the war in Gaza has become a major issue for many voters and activists. Parties cannot easily separate local campaigning from national and international concerns when those concerns are deeply felt.

For the Greens, this could cut both ways. A candidate with a clear pro-Gaza stance may energise some members and voters. Polanski may also seek to show that he can speak to those concerns while still running a broad campaign.

The risk lies in division. If local members feel that the selection has narrowed debate rather than reflected it, the campaign could lose the unity it needs. If Polanski is selected with strong local support, the issue may settle quickly. If not, it could linger.

The party’s task will be to hold together three overlapping messages:

• A local message about Holborn and St Pancras

• A national message about Green representation at Westminster

• A values-based message on war, justice and human rights

  
  

The more clearly those messages fit together, the stronger the campaign will look.

What happens next

No date has yet been set for the by-election. Until that happens, the contest remains in its opening phase. The next decisive step is the Green selection process, followed by the confirmation of candidates from the major parties.

Once the date is announced, the campaign will move quickly. Voters can expect doorstep canvassing, leaflets, local hustings and a sharp focus on which party is best placed to represent the constituency after Starmer.

The campaign will be fought through local streets as much as national headlines.

The Zack Polanski eyes Holborn and St Pancras by election bid story is about more than one politician seeking a seat. It is a test of Green ambition, Labour resilience and the power of local party members to shape a national political moment.

Polanski may have the profile. The Greens may have momentum. Labour still has the history. The by-election, whenever it comes, will show which of those matters most.