Polls opened on Thursday 8 October 2026 in the Holborn and St Pancras constituency as voters choose a successor to Sir Keir Starmer, who stepped down as MP last month. Labour’s Sagal Abdi‑Wali faces Green Party leader Zack Polanski and a field of thirteen other contenders, with counting due to begin after polls close at 22:00 and the result expected in the early hours of Friday. No exit poll is planned for this by‑election.
Candidates and Contest
Sagal Abdi‑Wali, the current leader of Camden Council, is seeking to retain the seat for Labour. She has received an enthusiastic endorsement from Andy Burnham, who declared: “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.”
Zack Polanski, who leads the Green Party, is aiming to break Labour’s 32‑year hold on the constituency. His campaign highlights the party’s recent surge in membership and its strong showing in the May 2026 local elections, where it secured more than 440 councillors and took control of five councils.
Thirteen additional candidates are also on the ballot, including the Conservatives’ Ewan Cameron, Reform UK’s Peter Newman, the Liberal Democrats’ Patrick Thomas Stillman, and George Galloway of the Workers Party of Britain, who is campaigning from overseas despite describing his situation as “self‑exile”.
Green Party Conference Controversy
The by‑election coincides with a contentious debate inside the Green Party. At its Brighton conference, members passed a motion stating that “Zionism is racism”. Polanski abstained from the vote but later emphasised his stance on inclusion, saying: “not accept any exclusion, or refusal to engage with anyone, because of the religious or communal body they are part of”.
The motion has sparked internal discussion about the party’s direction and its appeal to broader electorates, particularly in a seat where Labour traditionally enjoys strong support.
Voting Process and Historical Context
Polling stations opened at 07:00 and will close at 22:00. After the polls shut, ballot boxes will be sealed and transported to the counting centre, where the tally will begin immediately. Historical patterns suggest the result will be announced in the early hours of Friday; in the 2024 general election the Holborn and St Pancras outcome was declared at 04:15.
In that contest, Sir Keir Starmer won with 48.9 % of the vote (18,884 ballots), independent Andrew Feinstein came second with 18.9 % (7,312 votes), and the Greens placed third with 10.4 % (4,030 votes). Labour has held the seat continuously since 1994, making the current race a potential turning point for both major parties and the smaller challengers.
Why it Matters
The outcome in Holborn and St Pancras will test whether Labour’s long‑standing dominance in inner‑London can withstand a Green Party surge energised by recent local successes, while also revealing how voters respond to internal party debates over contentious issues such as the Zionism motion. A shift toward the Greens could signal a broader realignment in progressive politics, whereas a Labour hold would reinforce the party’s resilience amid leadership changes and signal to rivals that traditional strongholds remain formidable. Either way, the by‑election offers an early barometer of voter sentiment ahead of the next national contest.
