Green Party leader Zack Polanski has released a campaign video entirely in Urdu ahead of the Holborn and St Pancras by-election on 8 October, prompting criticism from Conservative figures who argue politicians should campaign only in English. The by-election, triggered by Sir Keir Starmer standing down from his former Commons seat, is seen as a serious test for Labour, whose dominance in the constituency since 1983 has been challenged by voter dissatisfaction over the Government's stance on Gaza.

In the video, posted to his Bold Politics podcast channel on X, Polanski tells viewers in Urdu that pressure from the Greens has forced Labour into "many U-turns" and urges them to vote Green. Census data shows 22% of the constituency's population identifies as Asian, more than double the national average, though under 1% are specifically Pakistani, with larger Bangladeshi (10%) and Indian (3%) populations and 20% identifying as Muslim. Tory spokesperson Katie Lam and shadow minister Helen Whately criticised the move as divisive, echoing similar backlash faced by the Greens over an Urdu-language video during February's Gorton and Denton by-election. The Conservatives, Reform UK and Liberal Democrats have also now named their own candidates for the seat.