Zack Polanski, the Green party leader, is attempting to win Keir Starmer's former constituency, Holborn and St Pancras, a central London seat that has voted Labour continuously since 1983. The bid comes amid a surge in support for the Greens over the past 12 months, with membership almost quadrupling, one by-election victory this year, and control of five new councils.
Surge in support and a new political landscape
The party's recent gains come as Andy Burnham, now prime minister, has made Labour appear more appealing to voters. Days before the Greens were set to hold their largest ever conference in Brighton, the conversation was dominated by a single issue: a controversial policy vote on whether Zionism is racism.
The Zionism motion and its fallout
The motion passed by roughly 1,000 votes in favour, with around 800 against. The outcome has generated the kind of outrage that could derail Polanski's chances in Thursday's by-election. The question now is what it will mean for his leadership and for the party as a whole.
