Polls have closed in the by-election to replace Sir Keir Starmer as MP for Holborn and St Pancras, with results expected to be announced in the early hours of Friday morning.
The north London seat has been a Labour stronghold since its formation in 1983, held by Frank Dobson for 32 years and Sir Keir for 11. Labour’s candidate is Camden Council leader Sagal Abdi-Wali, who is the bookies’ favourite to win.
Green Party challenge
Green Party leader Zack Polanski is hoping to break Labour’s clean sheet and secure his own seat in the House of Commons. The by-election comes in a difficult week for his party, after a controversial motion was passed at the Green Party conference asserting that “Zionism is racism”.
Mr Polanski, who abstained on the vote, later said that he will “not accept any exclusion, or refusal to engage with anyone, because of the religious or communal body they are part of”.
Ahead of the polls opening on Thursday, the Green Party leader had said “the election is looking close”. As they closed, a Green Party spokesperson said: “Zack would like to thank the thousands of volunteers who helped him in this campaign and the warm reception he received throughout the campaign from the people of Holborn and St Pancras.”
Candidates and reactions
There are 13 other candidates competing in the by-election, including 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 overseas in what he describes as “self-exile”.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Labour’s Ms Abdi-Wali would make “a brilliant local MP”. Deputy leader of the Labour Party Lucy Powell said: “Our brilliant candidate Sagal Abdi-Wali and our fantastic Labour team have been telling our Labour story of hope.”
The by-election could be a defining moment for Mr Polanski’s leadership, after the party enjoyed record-breaking results in the May 2026 local elections, adding more than 440 councillors and gaining control of five councils.
A Conservative Party spokesman said: “The Greens and Labour have tried to make this by-election about the Middle East and drive our communities apart. The Greens especially have descended into the sectarian gutter with their contemptible antisemitic conference motion.”
Former prime minister Sir Keir won the Holborn and St Pancras seat in 2024 with 48.9% of the vote (18,884 votes), with independent Andrew Feinstein as runner-up on 18.9% (7,312 votes) and the Greens in third with 10.4% of the vote (4,030 votes).
