Zack Polanski Seeks Green Party Bid For Holborn And St Pancras By-Election After Keir Starmer Resigns

Zack Polanski says he'll run for former PM Starmer's seat in by-election Green Party leader Zack Polanski has confirmed he wants to stand in the by-election brought about by Sir Keir Starmer's resignation as an MP. Polanski, who is currently a London Assembly member but not a member of Parliament, said he was "so excited by the prospect" of being the first Green MP for Holborn and St Pancras. The Greens are targeting the seat, until now a Labour stronghold, after coming second to Labour in the area in local elections earlier this year. Sir Keir announced on Tuesday that he was quitting as MP for the London constituency, two months after he stood down as prime minister, setting up a challenging by-election for his successor Andy Burnham. "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." He added: "It's a clear fight between Labour and the Green Party." The Green Party currently has five MPs. In order to officially be the Green candidate for the seat, Polanski needs to be selected by local party members - something his comments suggest will happen. But there have been reports in recent days of splits among local Green activists, some of whom are said to favour a Palestinian candidate or a pro-Gaza independent. Andrew Feinstein, the independent runner-up to Sir Keir in the constituency at the 2024 general election, said he believes Polanski will be an "excellent candidate". Writing on X, Feinstein said: "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, adding: "This is a crucial time for progressives in Camden and across the country to be united." A date has not yet been set for the by-election. The stakes were already high for Labour at this by-election, because it offers an early test of Burnham's ability to stave off the Green threat in inner-city constituencies. With Polanski's candidacy, the stakes are even higher for the Greens, to see whether they make good on their leader's oft-stated ambition to replace Labour. Polanski 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". Sir Keir had been MP for the area since 2015, but said he was quitting to focus on a role in international affairs. The former prime minister had previously said he would stay on as an MP until the next UK general election, which is not due until 2029. He said it was the "right time" for him to "pass the baton to a successor". "I will now focus on other things and that will be international affairs including defence, security, trade and technology in a fast-changing world," he said, adding he would also continue his work combatting violence against women and girls. Sir Keir became prime minister after winning a landslide majority at the 2024 election, but quit No 10 after pressure from Labour MPs to stand aside. Labour has not decided its candidate to potentially take on Polanski, with applications closing on Friday.

Advertisement UK UK Green leader to seek parliament seat vacated by Keir Starmer 03/09/2026 - 09:55 AM !Uk Green Leader To Seek Parliament Seat Vacated By Keir Starmer Green Party leader Zack Polanski. Photograph: Jeff Moore/PA Wire Share this article From The Irish Times UK Greens leader Zack Polanski has announced he will contest a north London seat being vacated by former Polanski told the Camden New Journal on Thursday he would “stand up for people struggling to pay their bills” if he was elected as the representative for the area, which became vacant when Keir Starmer announced he was standing down as an MP. Read More World Shootout in Kyiv between Ukrainian spy services ‘disgraceful’, says Zelenskyy Middle East Israeli minister insists mass removal of Gazans is only long-term solution Middle East In a small Iranian town, a US attack turns a wedding into a tragedy Europe About 80 feared dead after migrant boat gets into difficulty off Gran Canaria World Spanish PM rejects suggestions Morocco was behind Ceuta border crisis World Child sexual abuse survivor alleges Elon Musk’s AI chatbot used photos of her to generate new illegal images

Gift this articleShare to FacebookPrint article Article printing is available to subscribers only Print in a simple, ad-free format Subscribe Comments: SaveZen Reading Zen reading is available to subscribers only Ad-free and in a comfortable reading format Subscribe !Reuters!new-hdc-logo Reuters and Haaretz 03:27 PM • September 03 2026 IDT The leader of Britain's left-wing Green Party, Zack Polanski, intends to stand in an election for a seat in parliament vacated by former Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer, a local newspaper reported on Thursday. Loading... Click the alert icon to follow topics: FollowU.K. FollowJewish Diaspora FollowWorld Politics FollowAntisemitism FollowIsrael-Gaza War FollowPro-Palestinian protest FollowIsrael sanctions FollowPalestinians Trending Now Comments Your Perspective Belongs Here Want to reply? Subscribe to join the conversation SUBSCRIBE Already signed up? Log in Loading... In the News In the News: Live UpdatesIran-U.S.West BankSara NetanyahuGazaJD VanceNetanyahuDesalinationHaQuizHaaretz Podcast [](https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2026-09-03/ty-article/.premium/sea-of-green-this-is-the-algae-shutting-down-israels-desalination-plants/000001a0-673e-def7-a7f7-6fff4a070000) ICYMI Trending Now Trending Now Trending Now Trending Now Trending Now ICYMI

Green leader Zack Polanski to contest Starmer’s former seat Green Party leader Zack Polanski announced on Thursday that he intends to contest the Holborn and St Pancras by-election, seeking to succeed Keir Starmer as the constituency’s MP. Polanski, who took over the left-wing party last year, told the Camden New Journal he hopes to represent the Greens in the central London contest — a shot across Labour’s bows in what has previously been considered a safe seat for the governing party, Politico reported. “I have lived and worked in this community over many years, I know it well and I love it,” the Green leader 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.” Starmer stood down from the House of Commons this week, saying he wanted to devote more attention to international affairs. He quit as prime minister earlier this year after losing support in his own party, and has been succeeded by Andy Burnham. No date has yet been set for the contest. Polanski will still need to be selected by local Green Party members. That selection is expected to take place next week. In a taste of his campaign pitch, Polanski said “voters will have someone who will always fight their corner — never scared of big donors or the party whip.” And he charged: “Too often Labour has stood up for corporations and big money. I will stand up for people struggling to pay their bills.” Polanski has overseen a boost to the Green Party membership and led his party to a strong performance at the local elections in May, but has faced scrutiny around the vetting of candidates and his social media posts. He has been a member of the London Assembly scrutinizing Mayor Sadiq Khan since 2021. Starmer held the Holborn and St Pancras seat in 2024 with an 11,572 majority, but faced a strong challenge from a left-wing independent and the Greens. News.Az By Ulviyya Salmanli

Labour was preparing for a massive battle against Zack Polanski’s Green Party at a London by-election after Sir Keir Starmer announced he was quitting as an MP. Green leader Mr Polanski is considering standing in Holborn and St Pancras to get into Parliament. But Labour was defiant over holding onto the seat. “They can fancy their chances all they like, but we will be fighting hard and we'll be making sure that we win,” said Cabinet Office minister Sally Jameson. Labour won the seat with a majority, of 11,572 at the 2024 general election. Sir Keir’s party gained 18,884 votes, with the Greens trailing in third place with 4,030. So it would be a gamble by Mr Polanski to risk a humiliating defeat if he did decide to stand. Rob Ford, Professor in Politics at Manchester University, wrote on X: "The seat has exceptionally high shares of non-white voters (66 per cent), graduates (51 per cent) and young ppl (47 per cent aged 16-39) – all groups that have swung Lab to Green in recent years. "This could be a humdinger of a by-election." A further twist could come in the shape of Andrew Feinstein, an independent who gained 7,312 votes and came second in Holborn and St Pancras at the last election. Hinting at a willingness to do a deal with the Greens to deny Labour victory, he posted: "We must ensure that all progressive forces in Holborn & St. Pancras unite in order to deliver an MP who represents us & will work for us. "An MP who is the antithesis of everything that Starmer stands for." He told the Camden New Journal: “It has been a huge honour and privilege to represent the best constituency in the country and to have taken over from Frank Dobson, who was such a great constituency MP and a member of the last Labour government. “I will now focus on other things and that will be international affairs including defence, security, trade and technology in a fast-changing world. Read More Reflecting on his time as Prime Minister, Sir Keir again pointed to Labour’s 2024 election victory as a huge achievement as he thanked the Holborn & St Pancras Constituency Labour Party for its support during his time as party leader. He said: “(Sir Keir) has given this country a lifetime of public service, particularly for those fighting for justice. “When (Sir Keir) delivered in this House on his promise to the Hillsborough families and everyone involved in the Hillsborough Law campaign, it was a moment I will never forget.” He said Sir Keir’s leadership took the Labour Party from “one of its worst defeats” to one “its best victories”, adding that his predecessor had “created a platform to change this country for the better”. Conservative Party chairman Kevin Hollinrake said: “Whilst we have disagreed with almost all of Sir Keir Starmer’s decisions, I wish him and his family well for the future.” But he added: “It is fitting that his final act as a Member of Parliament is yet another U-turn having pledged to stay on.”

Macao University of Tourism partners with Universidade Eduardo Mondlane to support faculty development and student mobility Initiative reinforces Macau’s strategic role as an educational and cultural platform between China and Portuguese-speaking countries The Macao University of Tourism (UTM) launched the UTM-UEM Talent Development Programme on Thursday at its new campus in the First Phase of […] Zack Polanski, the leader of Britain’s left-wing Green Party, announced Thursday that he intends to contend the parliamentary seat vacated by former prime minister Keir Starmer. Polanski, 43, wants to be the Greens’ candidate in a by-election to determine who will replace Starmer as the member of parliament for the Holborn and St Pancras constituency in London. His announcement raises the stakes in a poll that is set to be an early test of new Labour Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s popularity. It will also signal whether the Greens can continue to attract voters from Labour, with Burnham seen as being to the left of the more centrist Starmer. “I am so excited by the prospect of representing this place in parliament,” Polanski, whose candidacy will need to be approved by the Greens’ local branch, told local newspaper the Camden New Journal. “I’ll stand up for people and communities,” he added in a post on X. Starmer, a former human rights lawyer, announced on Tuesday that he would leave parliament after 11 years as an MP. He is credited with reviving the centre-left Labour party and helping it win a landslide victory in a 2024 general election. But he was forced out of Downing Street by Labour lawmakers following a tumultuous two years in power, with Burnham parachuted in as Britain’s seventh prime minister since 2016 in July. Support for the Greens surged during Starmer’s time as office, largely on the back of anger over Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza. The left-wing insurgents won a sensational parliamentary by-election victory near Manchester in February and made big gains at local polls in May, particularly in London. Polanski’s popularity has since taken a hit, polls show, following several controversies including over an unpaid council tax bill and criticism he made of police officers who arrested a man who allegedly stabbed two Jewish people in London. Labour has held the Holborn and St Pancras seat continuously since its creation in 1983. At the 2024 general election, Starmer won with almost 49 percent of the vote, ahead of an independent candidate. The Greens finished third on 10.4 percent. Iran’s Tasnim news agency on Thursday said six members of the Iranian army’s naval forces were killed by US attacks during renewed fighting this week. China’s Ministry of Commerce, together with three other government departments, has jointly issued a notice announcing the second batch of 32 pilot cities for the national retail industry innovation and upgrade initiative, the ministry announced on Thursday. Nvidia announced Thursday it will buy artificial intelligence platform Hugging Face for $12.9 billion, as the chipmaking giant seeks to diversify its hold on the AI sector.

Audio By Carbonatix LONDON, Sept 3 (Reuters) – The leader of Britain’s left-wing Green Party intends to stand in an election to parliament in the London seat vacated by former Labour prime minister Keir Starmer, a local newspaper reported on Thursday. Zack Polanski told the Camden New Journal he would be the Green candidate for Holborn and St Pancras, a left-leaning constituency which Starmer held comfortably in 2024 though with a much-reduced vote share. (Reporting by Sam TobinEditing by William Schomberg) FollowUs This site is a proud member of Salem National, a subsidiary ofSalem Media Group. Other Salem National sites include:LarryOShow.com,MikeOnline.com,DennisPrager.com,HughHewitt.com,LarryElder.com,ScottJenningsShow.com,TheAlexMarlowShow.com/,ThisWeekOnCapitolHill.com Copyright © 2026 SRNNews.com & Salem Media Group. All Rights Reserved.Privacy Policy|California- CCPA Notice|Terms of Use LONDON, Sept 3 (Reuters) – The leader of Britain’s left-wing Green Party intends to stand in an election to parliament in the London seat vacated by former Labour prime minister Keir Starmer, a local newspaper reported on Thursday. Zack Polanski told the Camden New Journal he would be the Green candidate for Holborn and St […] Your Name(required) Your Email(valid email required) Friend's Name(required) Friend's Email(valid email required) Optional Message Send

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. Green party sources said local party members would have the final say on the selected candidate, but the Guardian understands local members are supportive of Polanski running, with no clear local activist with significant support expected to oppose him. It is understood nominations will open soon and candidates will be selected by the end of next week. Lorna Jane Russell, the leader of the Greens on the local Camden council, will not stand, having previously expressed a desire to focus on her role as the leader of the opposition at Camden Town Hall and her pregnancy. On the anniversary of his election on 2 September 2025, Polanski said the byelection would be a “referendum on ending rip-off Britain”, adding: “I am very excited for the next chapter for myself, for the Greens and for people across the country.” Sources inside the party in London said that the rise in membership since Polanski became leader made him the favourite for the role. “There would be a lot of excitement about him standing,” said one Green party source. “This is the kind of seat that has always had high-profile figures and I think having someone with Zack’s profile would play very well with local party members.” The move is not without risk for Polanski, with the former prime minister’s seat traditionally considered to be safe for Labour. The Green party leader may prefer to contest a seat in Hackney, where the party has recently won the mayoralty, if a sitting MP such as Diane Abbott were to step down. In a difficult political climate in the May local elections, Labour lost seats but held on to Camden council. “This is not Gorton and Denton,” said one Labour source. “The Burnham bounce will help.” Tulip Siddiq, the Labour MP for Hampstead and Highgate, said party members were already out campaigning and were confident they could retain the seat. “I know Camden through and through and I do believe that we can win this,” she said. Siddiq added: “I think the Labour vote is resilient and I think Andy Burnham’s pledges on the doorstep are being gratefully received by people in Camden. Certainly I’ll be out campaigning every day and giving it my best shot.” Labour will not run an all-women shortlist and will announce their candidate by next Wednesday, with applications closing on Friday and shortlisting expected by the start of next week. The frontrunner is thought to be Sagal Abdi-Wali, who came to the UK as a child refugee from Somalia and has been the leader of Camden council since May. “She’s got a compelling personal story and can reach people from all faiths and backgrounds in Camden,” said one Labour source. “She’s also been really active in the local party for a long time. Lots of people know her and like her.” Adam Hug, the former leader of Westminster council who lost his job leading the council when the Conservatives took control of it in May’s local election, is also a mooted name. Other possible candidates are Nash Ali, the former mayor of Camden, and Rishi Madlani, a former Camden councillor. Abdi-Wali is close to Starmer and local Labour sources said any attempts to bring in a candidate not from the area would be met with fierce criticism. “It will be interesting to see if Burnham has the same appeal in north London as Makerfield,” said one. “A lot of the policies he’s been talking about feel more geared towards the rest of the country, not really London.”

UK Green Party leader Zack Polanski has announced his intention to stand as a candidate for MP for London’s Holborn and St. Pancras parliamentary constituency, following former prime minister Keir Starmer’s resignation as MP on Tuesday. Polanski told the Camden New Journal on Thursday that he will stand in a by-election for the London constituency, which he said “represents so many of the things that make London so special." "I am so excited by the prospect of representing this place in Parliament," he said. "Holborn and St Pancras has everything that’s the best of our country and so much potential." To become the official Green candidate for the seat, Polanski has to be selected by local party members. Polanski's party currently has 5 MPs, but has never won a parliamentary seat in the capital. Additionally, Holborn and St Pancras has been a Labour seat since the 1980s, first under Frank Dobson and then Starmer. Polanski acknowledges struggles of Green Party with Labour government Polanski acknowledged this, telling the Camden New Journal, “It’s a clear fight between Labour and the Green Party." "We know that people are struggling – that the things we used to afford are increasingly out of reach – and this is a chance to send a very clear message that we won’t sit by as we get poorer and extreme wealth is concentrated at the very top. “What voters in Holborn and St Pancras will get with me as their MP is someone totally dedicated to standing up for them. Put simply, I will use my place in Parliament to force the current Labour government into making life more affordable for the people who live here.” Polanski is the first Jewish leader of the Green Party. He is a vocal critic of Israel, identifies as anti-Zionist, and frequently participates in pro-Palestinian events.