Polls have opened in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election as candidates battle to replace Sir Keir Starmer as the MP for the north London constituency, reports BritPanorama.
The seat has been a Labour stronghold for 32 years, but dozens of candidates are vying for election, notably the Green Party, which hopes to break this longstanding dominance with Zack Polanski aiming for a seat in the House of Commons. This election could significantly impact Mr Polanski’s leadership of the party, which recently saw a spike in membership and record-breaking results in the May 2026 local elections, adding over 440 councillors and gaining control of five councils.
However, the by-election occurs amid a turbulent period for the Green Party, following a controversial motion passed at their conference in Brighton which stated that “Zionism is racism.” Mr Polanski, who abstained from that vote, has since commented on his commitment to inclusion, stating he will “not accept any exclusion, or refusal to engage with anyone, because of the religious or communal body they are part of.”
Labour’s candidate, local council leader Sagal Abdi-Wali, is striving to retain the seat after the former prime minister announced his resignation as an MP last month. Abdi-Wali has received an enthusiastic endorsement from Andy Burnham, who emphasized, “Today, hope can win. But only if you vote for it. I have no doubt that Sagal Abdi-Wali will make a brilliant local MP for Holborn and St Pancras.”
“This area gave Sagal a home when she arrived here as a refugee in the 1990s. Camden gave Sagal and her family hope. Now she wants to give that back to the communities that have always been there for her. It’s hard to think of someone more committed to their local area and the care of people than Sagal,” Burnham added.
Other candidates in the by-election include the Conservatives’ Ewan Cameron, Reform UK’s Peter Newman, and the Liberal Democrats’ Patrick Thomas Stillman. George Galloway of the Workers Party of Britain is also running, despite living abroad, which he describes as “self-exile.”
In 2024, Sir Keir won the Holborn and St Pancras seat with 48.9 percent of the vote (18,884 votes), followed by independent Andrew Feinstein at 18.9 percent (7,312 votes), with the Greens securing third place at 10.4 percent (4,030 votes).
When will counting begin?
The count will commence after polling stations close at 10pm on Thursday. Results of by-elections are typically announced in the early hours of the next day. For context, the 2024 general election results in Holborn and St Pancras were announced at 4.15am.
Is there an exit poll?
An exit poll, which surveys voters immediately after they cast their ballots, is usually conducted during general elections to provide an early indication of outcomes. However, by-elections typically do not feature exit polls, and none is expected for Holborn and St Pancras today.
The dynamics of this by-election reflect broader trends in British politics, with implications that may resonate beyond this constituency.
