Polanski selected as Green Party candidate for Starmer's former seat

The Green Party has selected London Assembly member and Camden resident Polanski as its candidate for the Holborn and St Pancras by‑election on 8 October, a seat formerly held by former Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. Party members of the Camden Greens voted Polanski over local councillor Hamza Chowdhury, and Green MP Hannah Spencer announced that the choice was “overwhelmingly” in his favour. Polanski, who has lived and worked across the constituency for many years, framed his campaign around the area’s housing pressures, saying his own experience of moving between flats mirrors that of many Londoners and that a Green vote would send a clear signal to the council and government for better community support.

The contest pits Polanski against Labour’s candidate, Camden Council leader Sagal Abdi‑Wali, in a seat Labour has controlled since its creation in 1983. The by‑election is being watched as an early barometer of Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s popularity and Labour’s ability to defend inner‑city constituencies against a rising Green challenge. The Greens finished second to Labour in the recent Camden Council elections, and party leader Hannah Spencer described the Greens as the “underdog” in Holborn and St Pancras but confident they “can win,” emphasizing the momentum the party believes it has built in the area.

Polanski’s campaign stresses that a Green MP would work constructively with Prime Minister Burnham while pressuring him on perceived gaps in his policies, positioning the Greens as a viable alternative to Labour’s long‑standing dominance. If successful, Polanski would become the first Green representative for the constituency, advancing the party’s ambition to replace Labour in inner‑London seats. The outcome will also indicate how voters respond to the Greens’ focus on housing affordability and community investment amid broader national political dynamics.

⚡ Effects Interpreter