Labour's Sagal Abdi-Wali, leader of Camden Council, has won the Holborn and St Pancras by-election, securing 12,292 votes in a contest triggered by the resignation of former Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Green Party leader Zack Polanski finished second with 8,928 votes, while the Conservatives placed third and Reform UK came fourth.
By-Election Context and Candidates
The by-election was widely seen as a test of Prime Minister Andy Burnham's popularity. Abdi-Wali, who became leader of Camden Council in May, was the clear favourite in the north London constituency. The seat had been a prime target for the Greens, with Polanski pledging to stand only in a London seat, where he holds a regional political position, despite being born in Salford.
Holborn and St Pancras became the first London constituency to hold a by-election since Polanski assumed the Green Party leadership, offering him a long-awaited opportunity to enter Parliament.
Campaign Controversy and Reactions
Rival activists claim the Greens lost support in the final days of campaigning after party members passed a motion at their conference declaring Zionism is racism. Caroline Lucas, three-time former Green Party leader and its first MP, told BBC Newsnight that people should "see what happens in the coming days and weeks" when asked about Polanski's future.
Comparison with Other 2026 By-Elections
This was the fourth Parliamentary by-election of 2026. In February, Hannah Spencer won the Gorton and Denton seat from Labour following Andrew Gwynne's resignation as an MP, months after the 'Trigger Me Timbers' WhatsApp scandal. In June, Andy Burnham held the Makerfield seat for Labour, enabling the then-mayor to enter Downing Street. In August, Nigel Farage retained his Clacton constituency after standing down amid claims regarding Reform's party finances.
The turnout in Holborn and St Pancras was 38.76 per cent, lower than the 47.62 per cent recorded in Gorton and Denton, the 58.7 per cent in Makerfield, and the 44.37 per cent in Clacton.
