Green Party leader Zack Polanski has confirmed he wants to stand in the by-election for the Holborn and St Pancras constituency in London, the seat vacated by former Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
Polanski, currently a London Assembly member and not a member of Parliament, made the announcement in comments to the Camden New Journal on Thursday. "I have lived and worked in this community over many years, I know it well and I love it," he said. "It represents so many of the things that make London so special. I am so excited by the prospect of representing this place in Parliament."
Sir Keir announced on Tuesday that he was quitting as MP for the London constituency, two months after stepping down as prime minister. He said he was leaving to focus on a role in international affairs. Sir Keir had been MP for the area since 2015 and had previously said he would stay on until the next general election, which is not due until 2029. He said it was the "right time" for him to "pass the baton to a successor."
The seat is considered a Labour stronghold, but the Greens are targeting it after finishing second to Labour in local elections in the area earlier this year. Polanski described it plainly as "a clear fight between Labour and the Green Party."
He also said a Green victory would be "a clear message that we won't sit by as we get poorer and extreme wealth is concentrated at the very top."
According to the BBC, Polanski still needs to be formally selected by local Green party members to become the official candidate. There have been reports of splits among local Green activists, with some said to favor a Palestinian candidate or a pro-Gaza independent.
Andrew Feinstein, the independent candidate who finished second to Starmer in the 2024 general election, wrote on X that he believes Polanski will be an "excellent candidate." Feinstein added, "Unfortunately I am not in a position to stand this time round." He said the Camden People's Alliance will meet next week to formally decide its position and called on progressives "to be united."
The by-election presents an early test for Labour leader Andy Burnham, who now leads the party following Starmer's resignation. The Green Party currently holds five seats in Parliament.
No date has been set for the by-election.
