The Holborn and St Pancras by-election, scheduled for October 8, will see nine candidates contest the seat, following the resignation of former Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in early September. The deadline for nominations passed at 4pm on Tuesday, September 15, with all five main parties fielding candidates, alongside several independents and smaller party representatives.
The constituency covers much of Camden, including Covent Garden, Bloomsbury, Camden Town, Regent's Park, and Kentish Town. Labour has held the seat since its creation in 1983, but the Green Party, whose leader Zack Polanski is standing, is seen as a major challenger.
Labour and Green candidates lead the race
Sagal Abdi-Wali, the Labour candidate, has led Camden Council since May 2026, previously holding the housing and adult social care portfolios. Elected to represent Camden Square ward in 2022, she has also worked as a council officer and as a governor for two local schools. A former child refugee from Somalia, Cllr Abdi-Wali has pledged to prioritise housing, families and children by “building on her record” of investment in the borough’s social homes.
“Camden gave my family a home, hope, and opportunity when we needed it most. I’ve never forgotten that, and I’ve spent my life working to give that same hope back to the community. I want every child growing up here and every family who calls this place home to have that same security and opportunity,” she said. “That means more homes people can afford, giving families the support they need and making sure every child gets the best possible start in life.”
Zack Polanski, leader of the Green Party, is the party’s parliamentary candidate. He is currently a member of the London Assembly but has promised to step down if he wins. Mr Polanski previously stood as a Liberal Democrat candidate for the St Pancras and Somers Town by-election on Camden Council and contested the Barnet and Camden constituency in the 2016 London Assembly election.
“I've spent the last five years representing people here as a London Assembly Member, pushing the Mayor to do better on the issues that matter to people,” he said. “And if elected as your MP, I will fight every single day, in this constituency and in the Houses of Parliament, for the things you care about. For rent controls. New council homes. Justice and fairness for leaseholders, so that people can afford to stay in the places they call home.”
Conservative, Lib Dem, and Reform UK candidates
Ewan Cameron is the Conservative candidate. A former Camden councillor, he represented Belsize ward between 1998 and 2002, serving as Vice Chair for the council’s licensing committee and as a lead member in Development Control. He has lived in Camden since 1997.
“From Georgian terraces, squares and the Regent’s Canal to the Knowledge Quarter’s research, AI and science organisations today, Holborn and St Pancras have enormous potential that, with the right political leadership, can become an even better place to live, work and belong,” Mr Cameron said. “We need a Member of Parliament focused on safer streets, more family homes and cutting the cost of living. While families are leaving Holborn & St Pancras, the Green leader wants to talk about Gaza. St Pancras has recently endured a ‘Never Here MP'. We do not want another one!”
Patrick Thomas Stillman, a Camden councillor, is the Liberal Democrat candidate. Elected for West Hampstead in May 2026, he is the outgoing chair of the local party. He is focusing on the cost of living, insecure housing, public safety, and the future of Euston and the HS2 regeneration.
“I'm proud to have been selected as the Liberal Democrat candidate for Holborn and St Pancras. Voters here deserve better than a Labour government in chaos, or a Green Party using this seat to prop up its leader's ambitions,” Cllr Stillman said. “We have a distinct, confident liberal message - on housing, on safety, on giving young Londoners like me a fair shot at building a life here - and I'm going to make that case on every doorstep between now and October 8.”
Reform UK’s candidate is former Metropolitan Police Commander Pete Newman. Since retiring from the force, he has worked as a security and investigations consultant. Between 2004 and 2009, he was a senior detective on crime reduction and counter-terrorism across London, and he helped lead the force's response in Westminster after the 7/7 bombings in 2005.
“As a former police detective, it depresses me to see the state of crime and policing in our capital,” Mr Newman said. “Residents no longer feel safe, and our police officers are struggling to cope. Police stations are closing left, right and centre, yet Labour don’t care and our Mayor continues to gaslight Londoners over their safety.”
Other candidates and independents
George Galloway, of the Workers Party of Great Britain, is also standing. Currently in “self-exile” in Russia, he previously served as Labour MP for Glasgow Hillhead and Glasgow Kelvin before being expelled in 2003. He later joined the Respect Party, winning in Bethnal Green and Bow in 2005 and Bradford West in 2012. In 2024, he won a by-election in Rochdale for the Workers Party but lost the seat at the general election later that year.
His party criticised Labour and the Greens for supporting “endless billions” to Ukraine and voting for assisted dying. “Our party will offer voters something different. We believe the political focus should be centred on wages, housing, energy, peace, public services and national renewal. Currently no other candidate offers the voters this choice,” the party stated.
Other candidates include Barmy Brunch (Monster Raving Loony Party), who has pledged to “get rid of the bad eggs and political hams”; Tom Darwood, an independent from Kent; Clare Fischer (Climate Party); Tyler Johnson (Restore Britain), a corporate lawyer; Briony Kapoor (Rejoin EU), a pro-EU campaigner; Ketankumar Pipaliya (UK Voice), the party's founder; Jonathan Silberman (Communist League); Helen Spiby-Vann (Christian Peoples Alliance); and Ben Walker (UKIP), a former Royal Navy serviceman.
Briony Kapoor said: “I’m standing to give voice to the majority in favour of our membership of the EU and to protest that the main parties aren’t giving the issue the importance it merits. As a long-term resident of the area, I’m aware of local issues and, if elected, would look forward to working on those matters with our local council. Our constituency is arguably the most exciting one in the country, inclusive, creative, enterprising, hard-working and great fun.”
How to vote in the by-election
The deadline to register to vote is 11.59pm on Tuesday, September 22. You will need your National Insurance number, but you can still register without it. Once registered, you can apply for a postal or proxy vote, or a Voter Authority Certificate.
Polling stations will be open from 7am to 10pm on October 8. Voters must show original photo ID, which can be expired as long as you still look like the photo. Accepted forms include a passport, driving licence, Blue Badge, Oyster 60+ card, Freedom Pass, or a Proof of Age (PASS) card. Polling cards will be sent to registered voters, and more information is available on Camden Council’s website.
