Zack Polanski named as the Greens’ candidate in Holborn and St Pancras by-election
The Green Party leader has entered the race
The Greens picked Zack Polanski, the leader of the Green Party, as their candidate in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election at a hustings last night.
The by-election, which will take place on 8 October, was triggered by Keir Starmer stepping down as an MP after being ousted as prime minister by Andy Burnham in July.
Polanski has said the Greens, which gained 10 seats on Camden Council at the local elections in May, are the “underdog” in this contest, but that he thinks the party can “achieve a historic victory in one of Labour’s safest seats”.
Local councillor Hamza Chowdhury stood against Polanski for the nomination, saying that the constituency did not need “another MP who arrives during an election campaign” and “disappears once the votes are counted”.
Green MP Hannah Spencer said that local party members “overwhelmingly” chose Polanski in the vote.
Reacting to winning the selection, Polanski said: “We will fight a positive campaign on the issues we know people care about, and to put as much pressure as we can on Labour to lower bills, for much more affordable housing and rent controls, to reduce massive wealth inequality and to make sure Labour don’t back down on climate action by allowing more North Sea drilling.
“If elected, I will fight every day, in this constituency and in the Houses of Parliament, for the things people care about. Against injustice and on the side of ordinary people, not big money and the powerful.”
On Wednesday, Labour selected the Camden council leader, Sagal Abdi-Wali, as its candidate.
According to The Guardian, some in Labour are understood to be concerned that announcements on Rosebank and Jackdaw oil and gas fields may undermine the campaign.
The government is expected to announce whether it will approve Jackdaw as soon as next week. However, an announcement on Rosebank oil field is expected to be delayed until after the byelection.
Abdi-Wali said in a post on X that prime minister Andy Burnham had visited the constituency yesterday to join her for her first day of by-election campaigning.
Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward
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