Green Party leader Zack Polanski is preparing to contest the parliamentary seat once held by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, setting the stage for a closely watched battle on the left of
British politics.
Polanski has confirmed that he will stand as the Green candidate in Holborn and St Pancras, according to the Camden New Journal. The north London constituency has traditionally been a Labour stronghold, but the party’s dominance was significantly weakened at the 2024 general election.
Starmer retained the seat comfortably two years ago, although Labour’s share of the vote fell sharply. His subsequent decision to step down as an MP has opened the way for a new contest that could provide an important test of the Greens’ growing appeal among former Labour supporters.
Announcing his candidacy, Polanski sought to draw a sharp political dividing line with Labour.
“Labour stands up for corporations and big money,” he said in a post on X. “I’ll stand up for people and our communities.”
The Greens have increasingly targeted Labour-held constituencies where dissatisfaction among voters on the party’s left has created opportunities for challengers.
That dynamic was already evident in Holborn and St Pancras at the last election. An independent candidate whose campaign focused heavily on opposition to Israel’s military operation in Gaza secured almost 19% of the vote, while the Green candidate finished with more than 10%.
The result has encouraged the Greens to believe the constituency could become competitive, particularly as the party attempts to consolidate support from voters who previously backed Labour.
Polanski’s leadership has coincided with a period of significant expansion for the Greens. Over the past year, the party has made gains in several areas traditionally associated with Labour’s left wing and secured a notable parliamentary by-election victory in Gorton and Denton in Greater Manchester.
The Greens have also recorded stronger national polling, at times reaching around 20%, putting them well ahead of their previous levels of support and making them a more significant force in Britain’s fragmented political landscape.
However, Polanski faces his own political difficulties. His public standing suffered after he criticised police handling of the arrest of a man accused of stabbing two Jewish people in north London in April, according to polling conducted by YouGov.
The controversy has presented the Green leader with a challenge as he seeks to broaden the party’s appeal beyond its core supporters and compete for voters across London.
National polling remains highly competitive. A YouGov survey published on Wednesday placed Labour and Nigel Farage’s Reform UK level on 23%, followed by the Conservatives on 20%. The Greens stood at 13%.
The contest in Holborn and St Pancras will therefore be closely watched not only as a local election but also as an indication of whether the Greens can turn their recent momentum into a sustained parliamentary presence.
For Labour, losing ground in a constituency associated so closely with Starmer would carry considerable political symbolism. For Polanski and the Greens, taking the seat would represent one of their most significant breakthroughs yet in London. Photo by Rob Browne, Wikimedia commons.
