Holborn and St Pancras byelection: Greens’ Zack Polanski second
Labour’s Sagal Abdi-Wali (photo) won the Holborn and St Pancras byelection with just over 45% of the vote, but the Greens’ second place finish may bring both disappointment and relief. The seat, formerly held by Keir Starmer, has been overwhelmingly Labour since its creation in 1983. Turnout was 38.7%, and Abdi-Wali’s majority was 3,364.
Polanski’s challenging week
Zack Polanski, the Greens’ leader in England and Wales, stood in the seat himself and received just under 33% of the vote. It was his most challenging week in politics. The party had hoped for a wave of enthusiasm like Hannah Spencer’s victory in February in Gorton and Denton. But the Greens adopted a highly controversial policy on Zionism and Israel at their annual conference last weekend.
The new policy equates Zionism, the movement for a Jewish state, with racism, and calls for Israel to be replaced by a single Palestinian state. Four of the party’s five MPs publicly opposed it. Numerous councillors distanced themselves, and a handful resigned. Polanski did not take a side; he absented himself from Sunday’s debate to campaign in the byelection. Some Greens called this a failure of leadership. After the result, Polanski stated he intended to stay as Green leader. “Yes absolutely, that’s what leaders do,” he said.
Other parties and implications
The Conservatives beat Reform UK to third place, with 7.1% of the vote—almost exactly the same proportion as in 2024. Conservative national poll ratings remain below 2024 levels, but the stasis is likely to be claimed as evidence of a Badenoch bounce. The Liberal Democrats came fifth, just over 3%, behind Reform. Lib Dem MPs knocked on doors this week, and there is disquiet among some of Ed Davey’s MPs that the party is not cutting through.
Some Greens questioned Polanski contesting a seat in north London rather than east London, where he lives. His allies note that Nigel Farage took eight tries to become an MP. Under Greens policy, leaders serve two-year terms; Polanski must seek re-election in a year.
