Zack Polanski, leader of the UK Green Party, has announced he will contest the forthcoming by-election in the London constituency of Holborn and St Pancras, which was vacated by former Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Speaking to the Camden New Journal, Polanski confirmed he would be the Green Party's candidate in the area. Holborn and St Pancras, a traditionally left-leaning constituency, saw Starmer secure a landslide victory in the 2024 general election, though his support has since waned considerably.
“I have lived and worked in this community for years. I know it well and I love it,” said the Green Party leader. “It represents so much of what makes London special. I am excited by the prospect of representing this constituency in Parliament.”
The announcement comes just days after Starmer revealed he would step down as an MP, triggering the by-election. On Tuesday, Starmer said the time was right to resign after 11 years in Parliament. His decision followed his resignation as Prime Minister six weeks earlier, after losing the support of MPs within the governing party.
In the general election two years ago, an independent candidate focused on opposing Israel's genocidal campaign in Gaza won nearly 19% of the vote in Holborn and St Pancras, while the Green Party candidate received more than 10%.
“Labour stands with corporations and the super-rich,” Polanski wrote on social media platform X. “I will stand with our people and our communities.”
Since becoming Green Party leader a year ago, Polanski has made some headway in winning back left-leaning voters from Labour. The Greens surprised many by winning a by-election in Greater Manchester — where current Prime Minister Andy Burnham had been a long-serving mayor — and have seen national support rise to as high as 20%.
However, Polanski's personal ratings have suffered after he criticised police over their handling of an arrest of a man accused of stabbing two Jewish people in north London in April, according to a YouGov poll.
