Counting is under way in the crunch Holborn and St Pancras by-election, with Labour’s Sagal Abdi-Wali seeking to defend the seat after Sir Keir Starmer stepped down last month. She faced a strong challenge from Green Party leader Zack Polanski, who claimed on Wednesday that the by-election was “close”.
Campaign efforts intensify
Mr Polanski has put a huge effort into defeating Camden Council leader Ms Abdi-Wali, mobilising dozens of campaigners in the streets of north London in the lead up. Labour and the Green Party are the frontrunners for the seat.
Labour MPs, including Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh, and the Mayor of London hit the streets on Thursday alongside Ms Abdi-Wali in a final effort to secure the seat. It followed a last-minute appeal from Mr Burnham the same morning, encouraging Londoners to vote for “hope”.
Key endorsements and controversy
He said: “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.”
Labour’s efforts follow a tough week for Mr Polanski. A controversial motion, which asserted that “Zionism is racism”, was passed at the party’s annual conference in Brighton, sparking backlash and damage to approval ratings. Mr Polanski has, however, remained steadfast that his party can pull off a shock victory.
Broader field and next steps
Ahead of polls opening, he said: “The election is looking close today. We already have a Labour government, a Labour council and a Labour mayor.
“Isn’t it time for a Green voice for Camden to push Labour to do better on issues like rent controls and to put Thames Water into public ownership – issues where they’ve been backtracking?”
Restore Britain’s Rupert Lowe also weighed in as voters headed to cast their votes on Thursday. Whilst he predicted a Labour victory, he urged Londoners to vote for a party with “common sense” and “logic”.
Thirteen other candidates also battled it out for votes in Sir Keir Starmer’s old seat, including the Conservatives, Reform UK, Restore Britain, the Lib Dems, and the Monster Raving Loony Party. George Galloway, leader of the Workers’ Party of Britain is among the contenders vying for the seat, despite living overseas in what he describes as “self-exile.”
With polling stations now shut, there will be an anxious wait for Labour and the Green Party, with results expected in the early hours of Friday morning.
