Former Labour MP Emma Dent Coad is backing the Green Party in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election, appearing on campaign leaflets urging residents to support Zack Polanski.
Ms Dent Coad, who served as MP for Kensington between 2017 and 2019 and has long championed the rights of Grenfell survivors, said residents should be looking for somebody to stand up for them on housing policy.
Housing failures highlighted
Ms Dent Coad said: “Holborn and St Pancras needs an MP who understands that the current housing model has failed those who need genuinely affordable homes, and who will support leaseholders battling an archaic system that disadvantages and silences them.
“Residents need an advocate who can focus on robust legislative change while helping those who are at the receiving end of those failures.”
Before becoming a Labour councillor in 2006, Ms Dent Coad was a housing activist. She said it is clear there are still “huge problems” at Camden Council, adding: “Across the constituency numerous housing crises are evident, from poor construction standards, fire and building safety failures, and the lack of new housing provision that has left a shameful 8,500 households on the waiting list.”
Labour candidate's record
Sagal Abdi-Wali, Labour’s candidate in the by-election, was in charge of Camden’s housing department before becoming council leader four months ago. The department is considered the worst-performing part of the council, although Ms Abdi-Wali has said she was turning performance around.
Ms Dent Coad said: “Managing a failing system is not enough. I’ve known Zack Polanski for some years, and we have talked about his understanding of the housing crises.”
