Voting Opens in North London By-Election to Replace Keir Starmer

Key Points

• Voters are going to the polls in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election to choose a new MP following Keir Starmer’s departure from the north London seat.
• Labour has held the constituency continuously since its creation in 1983, first through Frank Dobson and later through Starmer.
• Green Party leader Zack Polanski is contesting the seat and hopes to turn the party’s recent electoral momentum into a parliamentary breakthrough.
• The Greens recorded significant gains in the May 2026 local elections, winning more than 440 councillors and taking control of five councils.
• Polanski’s campaign comes after controversy at the Green Party conference over a motion stating that “Zionism is racism”.
• Polanski abstained on the motion and subsequently said he would not accept exclusion or refusal to engage with people because of their religious or communal affiliation.
• Labour’s candidate is Sagal Abdi-Wali, leader of Camden Council, who is regarded as the favourite by bookmakers.
• Prime Minister Andy Burnham has endorsed Abdi-Wali, highlighting her personal connection with Camden after arriving in Britain as a refugee in the 1990s.
• A total of 16 candidates are contesting the by-election, including Conservative candidate Ewan Cameron, Reform UK candidate Peter Newman and Liberal Democrat candidate Patrick Thomas Stillman.
• George Galloway, leader of the Workers Party of Britain, is also standing despite living overseas, which he describes as “self-exile”.
• The result will be closely watched for what it indicates about Labour’s traditional strength in London and the growing electoral challenge posed by the Greens and other parties.

The Londoner News (TLN) October 8, 2026 – Voters are casting ballots in a closely watched north London by-election to determine who will succeed Keir Starmer as the MP for Holborn and St Pancras. Labour is defending a constituency it has held continuously since 1983, while Green Party leader Zack Polanski is attempting to turn his party’s recent electoral gains into a breakthrough at Westminster. Labour’s Sagal Abdi-Wali, the leader of Camden Council, is considered the bookmakers’ favourite, while 13 other candidates are also seeking election. The contest comes amid increased attention on the Greens following strong results in the May 2026 local elections and controversy surrounding a motion passed at the party’s conference in Brighton.

The by-election is taking place against the backdrop of a long Labour record in Holborn and St Pancras, but the contest has attracted wider national attention because of the number of political developments surrounding the candidates and their parties.

Why is the Holborn and St Pancras by-election being held?

The by-election is being held to elect a new MP for Holborn and St Pancras following Keir Starmer’s departure from the parliamentary seat.

The constituency has historically been a secure Labour seat. It was created in its current form in 1983 and has remained under Labour representation since then.

Frank Dobson represented the constituency for 32 years before Starmer succeeded him. Starmer subsequently represented Holborn and St Pancras for 11 years, making the seat closely associated with Labour and with the former Labour leader.

The by-election therefore represents a change in representation for a constituency that has had a particularly long period of Labour representation.

The contest is also taking place in a political environment in which smaller parties are seeking to make gains from established parties. The Green Party, in particular, is attempting to convert its recent local-election progress into representation in the House of Commons.

Who is standing for Labour in the by-election?

Labour’s candidate is Sagal Abdi-Wali, the leader of Camden Council.

Her candidacy has received support from Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who has presented her personal history and links with the constituency as important elements of her campaign.

According to the material supplied for the contest, Burnham said: “Today, hope can win. But only if you vote for it.” He also said he had no doubt that Abdi-Wali would make a “brilliant local MP” for Holborn and St Pancras.

Burnham further referred to Abdi-Wali’s arrival in the area as a refugee during the 1990s.

He said the area had given Abdi-Wali and her family a home and hope, adding that she now wanted to give that back to the communities that had supported them.

The remarks place Abdi-Wali’s local connection at the centre of Labour’s case to voters.

She is also reported to be the bookmakers’ favourite to win the election, although betting expectations do not determine the eventual result.

Why is Zack Polanski’s Green Party campaign significant?

The Green Party leader Zack Polanski is one of the most prominent candidates in the contest and is seeking to end Labour’s uninterrupted record in the constituency.

His candidacy has significance beyond the individual seat because the Greens have experienced substantial growth in electoral support during 2026.

The party gained more than 440 councillors in the May 2026 local elections and took control of five councils. Those results represented a major expansion of the Greens’ presence in local government.

Polanski is therefore attempting to build on that momentum by securing a parliamentary seat for himself.

A victory would give the Green Party leader a direct position in the House of Commons and would represent a significant change in the political balance of a constituency historically associated with Labour.

However, the campaign has also coincided with controversy surrounding the Green Party’s recent conference.

What controversy has affected Zack Polanski during the campaign?

A major issue surrounding Polanski has been a motion passed at the Green Party conference in Brighton asserting that “Zionism is racism”.

Polanski abstained from the vote.

Following the controversy, he said that he would “not accept any exclusion, or refusal to engage with anyone, because of the religious or communal body they are part of”.

His response has become an important part of the context surrounding his campaign because it came during the final stages of a closely watched parliamentary contest.

The distinction between Polanski’s abstention and the position expressed in the conference motion has consequently received attention as voters consider the Green Party’s national leadership and its approach to political and communal issues.

The supplied campaign material does not indicate that Polanski endorsed the motion. Instead, it records his abstention and subsequent statement opposing exclusion based on religious or communal affiliation.

What has Zack Polanski said about the prospects of the election?

Ahead of polling stations opening, Polanski said: “The election is looking close today.”

The statement reflects the significance attached to the contest by the Green Party.

For Labour, the seat has traditionally been regarded as a stronghold. For the Greens, winning it would demonstrate that the party’s expanding support can extend beyond local government and into Westminster representation.

The result will therefore provide voters and political parties with an indication of the strength of competing parties in a London constituency that has historically delivered a Labour MP.

Which other parties are contesting Holborn and St Pancras?

There are 13 other candidates in addition to Labour’s Sagal Abdi-Wali, Green Party leader Zack Polanski and the other principal candidates highlighted in the campaign.

The Conservative candidate is Ewan Cameron.

Reform UK is represented by Peter Newman, while the Liberal Democrats have nominated Patrick Thomas Stillman.

Another high-profile candidate is George Galloway, leader of the Workers Party of Britain.

Galloway is standing despite living overseas. He describes his situation as “self-exile”.

His participation adds another nationally recognisable political figure to an already crowded ballot.

The presence of candidates from Labour, the Greens, Conservatives, Reform UK, the Liberal Democrats and the Workers Party of Britain means that the election is being contested across a broad political spectrum.

However, the supplied information identifies Abdi-Wali as the bookmakers’ favourite and highlights Polanski as the candidate seeking to make a historic breakthrough for the Greens.

What does Labour’s history in the constituency tell voters?

Labour’s record in Holborn and St Pancras is one of the central facts surrounding the election.

The party has held the seat since its formation in 1983. Frank Dobson represented it for 32 years before Starmer became the MP.

Starmer then represented the constituency for 11 years.

That history means the by-election is not simply a contest for an ordinary parliamentary vacancy. It is also a test of whether Labour can maintain its established support in an area that has consistently returned Labour MPs for more than four decades.

The Greens’ challenge consequently carries particular importance because they are attempting to overturn a long-standing pattern rather than defend an existing parliamentary position.

How important are the 2026 local election results for the Greens?

The Greens’ performance in the May 2026 local elections provides the principal backdrop to Polanski’s campaign.

The party gained more than 440 councillors and took control of five councils.

Those results demonstrated increased Green representation at local-government level and provided the party with a stronger electoral base than it had previously enjoyed.

Polanski’s decision to contest Holborn and St Pancras can therefore be viewed within a broader effort to translate that growth into parliamentary representation.

A Green victory would provide a highly visible example of that transition.

At the same time, local-election results do not automatically determine the outcome of a parliamentary by-election. Different voting patterns, candidates, local issues and political circumstances can affect the result.

Why is the Holborn and St Pancras result being closely watched?

The result is being watched because it brings together several significant developments in British politics.

For Labour, the immediate question is whether it can retain a seat it has held since 1983.

For the Greens, the election offers Zack Polanski an opportunity to secure his own place in Parliament while demonstrating that the party’s 2026 local-election gains can translate into Westminster representation.

The result will also provide an indication of how Conservative, Reform UK, Liberal Democrat and Workers Party candidates perform in a heavily contested London constituency.

The outcome should therefore be assessed not only through the identity of the winning candidate but also through the distribution of votes among the parties.

A substantial Green performance without a victory could nevertheless demonstrate increased competitiveness. Conversely, a Labour victory would preserve the party’s long-standing hold over the constituency.

What role has Sagal Abdi-Wali’s personal history played in the campaign?

Abdi-Wali’s background has been emphasised by Labour in its public appeal to voters.

Andy Burnham highlighted that she arrived in the area as a refugee during the 1990s and that Camden subsequently provided a home for her and her family.

His argument is that her experience gives her a personal connection to the communities she is seeking to represent.

He framed her candidacy as an opportunity for her to return the support she received to the communities that had helped her family.

The emphasis on personal history is particularly relevant in a by-election, where individual candidates can receive greater attention than they might during a nationwide parliamentary contest.

What could the by-election mean for Zack Polanski’s leadership of the Green Party?

The contest could have implications for Polanski’s position as Green Party leader because a successful campaign would give him a parliamentary platform.

The Greens have experienced substantial membership growth and strong local-election results during 2026, increasing expectations around the party’s ability to establish itself more firmly in national politics.

A victory in Holborn and St Pancras would provide a direct Westminster foothold for the party’s leader.

However, the campaign has also occurred during a difficult period following the controversial conference motion.

Polanski’s abstention and subsequent statement rejecting exclusion on religious or communal grounds have become part of the political context in which voters are assessing his leadership.

The by-election result will consequently be relevant to both the wider Green Party and Polanski personally.

What is the background to the Holborn and St Pancras by-election?

Holborn and St Pancras has been a Labour constituency since its creation in 1983.

Frank Dobson served as the MP for 32 years, establishing a long period of Labour representation. Keir Starmer subsequently represented the constituency for 11 years.

The vacancy has created an opportunity for other parties to challenge Labour’s established position.

The Greens enter the contest after their significant local-election gains in May 2026. Their campaign is being led by Polanski, whose national leadership gives the contest additional political significance.

Labour has selected Camden Council leader Sagal Abdi-Wali, whose personal history in the area has been emphasised by senior Labour figures.

The field also includes candidates from the Conservatives, Reform UK, Liberal Democrats and Workers Party of Britain, among others.

The election is therefore taking place amid a broad contest involving established parties, emerging political forces and nationally recognised candidates.

What could the Holborn and St Pancras result mean for voters and the parties?

The immediate impact will be on voters in Holborn and St Pancras, who will gain a new MP following Starmer’s departure.

For Labour supporters, retaining the seat would preserve a long-standing political relationship with the constituency.

For Green voters, a victory for Polanski would represent a significant parliamentary breakthrough and reinforce the party’s recent local-election gains.

The result could also affect perceptions of the Conservatives, Reform UK, Liberal Democrats and Workers Party of Britain depending on their respective vote shares.

The most direct political measure, however, will be the identity of the successful candidate.