Green party members back Zack Polanski to stand in London byelection
Zack Polanski, leader of the Green party in England and Wales, has received local party support to contest the Holborn and St Pancras byelection following Keir Starmer's resignation.
Zack Polanski moved a step closer in his quest to become an MP on Wednesday, with local Green party members supporting him to become the party's candidate in the Holborn and St Pancras byelection. The party leader in England and Wales started campaigning alongside his fellow Green, Hannah Spencer, the MP for Gorton and Denton, in the Holborn area on Tuesday, and is seriously considering putting himself forward as the party's candidate in the seat vacated by Keir Starmer on Monday.
The endorsement from constituency members positions Polanski as the favourite to secure the nomination for the north London seat, which has been a Labour stronghold for decades. Starmer's resignation triggered the contest and has set the stage for what is expected to be a closely watched electoral test in the capital. The former Labour leader had represented the constituency since 2015, building a significant personal majority in successive general elections.
Polanski's potential candidacy marks a notable moment for the Green party, which has been seeking to expand its parliamentary presence beyond its current representation. The party has made targeted gains in urban constituencies in recent years, and Holborn and St Pancras is seen as a winnable target given shifting voter demographics and growing support for environmental policies in inner London. Spencer's involvement in the campaign underscores the party's strategy of deploying senior figures to support candidates in key battlegrounds.
The byelection date has not yet been formally announced, but political observers expect it to be scheduled within the coming months. The contest will test the strength of Labour's electoral coalition in central London at a time of national political uncertainty. For the Greens, the campaign represents an opportunity to demonstrate that their appeal extends beyond their established strongholds, particularly among younger voters and those prioritising climate action and housing policy.
Polanski has not yet made a formal declaration of his candidacy, but the backing of local members is widely interpreted as a clear signal of his intention to stand. The selection process will now move forward, with party officials expected to confirm the candidate in the coming days. If selected, Polanski would lead the Green campaign in one of the most high-profile byelections of the current parliamentary term.
