Zack Polanski has announced his bid to become MP for Holborn and St Pancras.
The Green Party leader launched his move to enter Parliament after Sir Keir Starmer quit as the MP for the North London constituency.
Polanski's local ties and vision
“I have lived and worked in this community over many years, I know it well and I love it,” he told the Camden New Journal.
“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.”
London Assembly member Mr Polanski added: “Holborn and St Pancras has everything that’s the best of our country and so much potential.
“But for too long now it’s been held back by governments who have failed to make the changes to improve people’s lives.
“We know that the Greens can win here, and by electing me, voters will have someone who will always fight their corner – never scared of big donors or the party whip.
“Too often Labour has stood up for corporations and big money. I will stand up for people struggling to pay their bills.”
Campaign strategy and by-election timing
The Standard revealed on Wednesday that Mr Polanski was set to stand for the Greens in the crunch by-election.
He has already been out campaigning in the constituency, with Gorton and Denton Green MP Hannah Spencer.
The by-election is expected to take place in October.
The Greens intend to flood the constituency with activists, as they did in the Gorton and Denton by-election.
They also plan to put up hundreds of poster boards as they seek to woo people to vote for the party for the first time.
One of the purposes of the poster boards is to signal to individuals who may be considering voting Green for the first time that other people in their street or neighbourhood are planning to do so.
Starmer's resignation and previous hints
After Sir Keir announced he was standing down, Mr Polanski gave a strong hint that he would stand.
He said: “We will announce our candidate in due course and they will set out an exciting agenda for the deep change our country needs.
“I am proud of what I have achieved in the first year of my leadership of the Green Party but it is just the start.
“I am very excited for the next chapter for myself, for the Greens and for people across the country.”
Labour won the London seat with a majority of 11,572 at the 2024 general election.
Sir Keir gained 18,884 votes, with the Greens trailing in third place with 4,030.
Independent candidate Andrew Feinstein gained 7,312 votes and came second and he has hinted at a willingness to do a deal with the Greens to deny Labour victory.
The Green Party leader had previously identified Holborn and St Pancras as one of the seats that he might seek to stand in.
Mr Polanski said in the spring that if there was a by-election in London: “I'll almost certainly be running.” He added: “You could be looking to Hackney North, Hackney South, Walthamstow, Holborn and St Pancras, if Keir Starmer is going anywhere, and even, you know, Tower Hamlets.”
At the local elections in May, the Green Party achieved its best ever results winning 11 seats in the borough. This included taking seats in the Holborn and Covent Garden, Bloomsbury and Regent's Park wards, which are in Sir Keir's constituency.
