Evening Standard
· collected 2026-09-14 · by Niva Yadav and Matt Watts
The Green Party hope it will continue their gains in the capital from May’s local elections and have put forward Zack Polanski to contest the seat - which has been held by Labour since the constituency’s inception in 1983.
uncertain
which → hope → 1983
Here are the candidates that have been announced so far.
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that → announce → ?
She pipped more than 100 candidates to the post to become Labour’s frontrunner in a selection meeting earlier this month.
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She → pip → meeting
Cllr Abdi-Wali first came to Britain as a child refugee in the early 1990s after fleeing civil war in Somalia.
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Wali → come → Somalia
Since then, she has lived in Camden.
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she → live → Camden
She was elected as a Labour councillor for the Camden Square ward in 2022, after serving as the Cabinet Member for Better Homes - a role which saw her manage the borough’s housing and neighbourhood development.
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her → elect → development
Cllr Abdi-Wali has also been credited with helping to achieve Camden’s status as a “Borough of Sanctuary” in 2024.
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Wali → credit → 2024
She is also the governor for two local schools, according to the Labour Party.
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She → accord → Party
Her views have been largely shaped by her background as a Somalian refugee and she has prioritised housing and homelessness in her role at Camden Council.
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she → shape → Council
Read More
On being selected as the Labour candidate, she said: “This place welcomed my family as refugees and gave us hope when we needed it most.
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we → read → it
I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to build a life here, serving our community as a councillor, school governor and community activist.”
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I → have → councillor
A victory for Cllr Abdi-Wali would see her step down from her role as leader of the north London council to assume Sir Keir’s former seat.
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her → see → seat
Cllr Abdi-Wali has already launched her campaign and was spotted in the borough alongside Prime Minister Andy Burnham on Thursday.
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Wali → launch → Thursday
Zack Polanski - Green
Green party leader Zack Polanski has been selected as the party’s candidate for the Holborn and St Pancras by-election.
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Polanski → select → election
Mr Polanski edged out Camden councillor Hamza Chowdhury to win the candidacy.
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Polanski → edge → candidacy
Speaking on his win, Mr Polanski acknowledged that the Greens “might be the underdog in this election”, but he believes the party has the “momentum” to win.
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party → speak → momentum
Mr Polanski’s political career started in 2015 when he stood as a Liberal Democrat candidate for the for St Pancras and Somers Town by-election in 2015.
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he → start → 2015
He later joined the Green party in 2017, eventually becoming the deputy leader in 2022 after being elected as a member of the London Assembly in 2021.
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He → join → 2021
Mr Polanski has been credited with driving the Green Party’s popularity in recent months.
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Polanski → credit → months
During his tenure, the party has made significant gains and achieved its best results in history in the 2026 local elections.
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party → make → elections
Hannah Spencer MP was elected in the Gorton and Denton by-election, beating Labour and Reform UK, while Zoe Garbett was elected as Mayor of Hackney in May.
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Garbett → elect → May
The Green party leader moved to the capital in the mid-2000s after growing up in Manchester.
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leader → move → Manchester
He has been a vocal advocate for wealth redistribution, supporting a wealth tax on the country’s super-rich.
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He → support → rich
Housing and rent controls, as well as universal basic income, have also formed key pillars of his policy.
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controls → form → policy
Tory candidate Mr Cameron said: “This is the community where I have lived, raised my family and call home.
“
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I → say → family
From Georgian terraces, squares and the Regent’s Canal to the Knowledge Quarter’s research, AI and science organisations today, Holborn and St Pancras has enormous potential that with the right political leadership can become an even better place to live, work and belong.
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that → have → leadership
“We need a Member of Parliament focused on safer streets, more family homes and cutting the cost of living.
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We → need → living
“While families are leaving Holborn and St Pancras, the Green leader wants to talk about Gaza.
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leader → leave → Gaza
Holborn & St Pancras has recently endured a ‘Never Here’ MP.
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Holborn → endure → MP
We do not want another one.”
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We → want → one
The Lib Dems face a uphill task in the by-election, having come sixth in the seat in the 2024 election.
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Dems → face → election
Lib Dem candidate Mr Stillman said: “I’m proud to have been selected as the Liberal Democrat candidate for Holborn and St Pancras.
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I → say → Holborn
“Voters here deserve better than a Labour Government in chaos, or a Green Party using this seat to prop up its leader’s ambitions.
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Voters → deserve → ambitions
“We have a distinct, confident liberal message – on housing, on safety, on giving young Londoners like me a fair shot at building a life here – and I’m going to make that case on every doorstep between now and October 8.
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I → have → October
Nominations for candidates close on September 15.
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Nominations → close → September
Pete Newman - Reform UK
Former Metropolitan Police detective Pete Newman will contest the by-election for Reform UK.
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Newman → contest → UK
Reform UK said Mr Newman is a former counter-terrorism commander who responded to the aftermath of the July 7 bombings.
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who → say → bombings
According to the party, he specifically led Met officers in Westminster to return the borough to normality and assist businesses in building resilience against potential future terrorist acts.
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he → accord → acts
After retiring from the Met, he has worked as a professional security and investigative consultant, according to Reform UK.
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he → retire → UK
Mr Newman said: “I am humbled and honoured to be Reform UK’s parliamentary candidate for Holborn and St Pancras.
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I → say → Holborn
…and 7 more, not listed.
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