Green Party leader Zack Polanski has confirmed he wants to stand as the party's candidate in the forthcoming by-election for Holborn & St Pancras, the London seat vacated by Sir Keir Starmer. Starmer announced his immediate departure from the Commons on Tuesday, reversing an earlier pledge to serve out the full parliamentary term, triggering a contest that Labour is keen to win as a test of Andy Burnham's leadership and the party's current poll standing. Polanski's bid sets up a significant clash with Labour, though reports suggest some local Green Party members may be pushing instead to back a British Palestinian or pro-Gaza independent candidate.

Labour has held the inner London constituency since its creation in 1983, but its majority has shrunk considerably, from 27,763 in 2019 to around 11,000 in 2024, with Starmer facing criticism over his stance on Palestine during that campaign. The Greens, who hold seven council seats within the constituency, believe they have a genuine chance of winning, particularly as independent Andrew Feinstein, who won 18.9% of the vote in 2024, appears unlikely to stand again. Labour hopes to select its own candidate by next Wednesday, with the by-election possibly taking place on 1 or 8 October, amid internal wrangling after MP Tulip Siddiq criticised outside candidates seeking to "parachute in."