Green Party Challenges Labour in Starmer's Former Seat

At a meeting organised by a Muslim group in London ahead of a closely watched by-election, candidates from the Green Party and the Liberal Democrats presented their views to residents, while seats for Labour and the Conservatives remained empty. Labour and the Conservatives did not send representatives.

Labour candidate Sagal Abdi Wali, a Muslim Somali woman, told The Guardian she did not attend because she had a prior commitment and the invitation came too late. But the organisers, the Camden Muslim Network, countered that she had been invited earlier.

Fifteen candidates are running for the former seat of former Prime Minister Keir Starmer, including Green Party leader Zack Polanski, who hopes to become an MP.

Since the seat was established in Holborn and St Pancras in 1983, Labour has held it. Starmer was first elected in 2015 and held the seat until his resignation, triggering the by-election.

At the meeting, discussions ranged from local issues such as housing to Israel and Palestine.

Liberal Democrat candidate Patrick Stillman said his party had long called for a Palestinian state but would not support a full boycott.

But Polanski took a different view.

"I think the Labour government's position is utterly cynical in apologising over Gaza, admitting mistakes were made but continuing to sell weapons to Israel, a country committing genocide," he said to applause, adding that his party, which recently voted to describe Zionism as racist, supports a full boycott.

'Vote for Palestine'

In leaflets sent to residents in the constituency, the Green Party focused on Abdi-Wali's time as a Labour councillor and recently as leader of Camden Council – a role she has held since May.

One leaflet said: "Bring about change, Replace Labour, Vote Green". The back read: "Every Labour councillor in Camden refused to sign a pledge of solidarity with Palestine or support divestment from pension funds. Only the Green Party continues to stand firm for Palestine."

Last month, Abdi-Wali told the Camden New Journal, a local newspaper, about Gaza and the Green Party leaflets.

Saying Labour councillors did not care strongly about the issue was "clearly inaccurate", she told the paper. "I want to focus on making sure we can get the message out about what [Foreign Secretary] Ed Miliband is doing with the government and on Palestine, Israel, Gaza and the West Bank."

In January, Camden Friends of Palestine (CFOP), a local group formed in response to Israel's genocidal war in Gaza, submitted a petition to the local council with 4,000 signatures calling on the council to divest its pension funds from companies linked to Israel's actions in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Abdi-Wali, then a Labour councillor, did not support the petition. Instead of committing to divestment, most councillors voted to refer the matter to the pension fund board for review.

"My impression of her and her politics is that she is really remarkably silent on everything, if not careerist, and that is disappointing," said Shadin, 38, a resident and CFOP organiser who plans to vote for Polanski.

"Witnessing a genocide livestreamed has caused many people I know ... to leave mainstream politics or parliamentary politics."

Diverse community

As in many London constituencies, a key issue is housing.

According to the council's "state of the area 2026" report, there were 8,380 households on the social housing waiting list at the end of March 2025, "up 9.5% on the previous year".

On Friday, in the wealthier part of the constituency, Primrose Hill, one resident said they would vote Labour in the upcoming election, while another believed life would not change whoever won.

In Camden, another resident told Al Jazeera that despite living in the area, they were unaware of the election, as Labour campaigners rang doorbells to enter a nearby building in the background.

As both parties make their final push to win, recent polls predict a close race.

In the 2024 general election, Starmer won the seat with 49%. Andrew Feinstein, an independent pro-Palestine candidate, came second with 19%. British bookmaker Ladbrokes and poll analysis site Stats for Lefties both predict Labour will win.