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Politics

Green Party leader Zack Polanski backed by local members for Holborn and St Pancras by-election

Polanski is considering running for the seat vacated by Keir Starmer as Labour prepares its own selection process.

The short version

  • Green Party leader Zack Polanski has gained local member support and is considering running in the upcoming Holborn and St Pancras by-election.
  • The seat was vacated following the resignation of former Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
  • Labour plans to announce its candidate by next Wednesday, with Camden Council leader Sagal Abdi-Wali viewed as the frontrunner.
  • Official Green nominations are scheduled to open shortly, with a candidate selection expected by the end of next week.

Key facts

  • Local Green Party members are backing party leader Zack Polanski to stand in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election following Keir Starmer's resignation.[The Guardian]
  • Polanski began campaigning in the Holborn area alongside Green MP Hannah Spencer.[The Guardian]
  • Lorna Jane Russell, the leader of the Greens on Camden Council, ruled herself out of the race to focus on council duties and her pregnancy.[The Guardian]
  • Labour will not use an all-women shortlist and aims to announce its nominee by next Wednesday, with Sagal Abdi-Wali, Adam Hug, Nash Ali, and Rishi Madlani among the mooted candidates.[The Guardian]

What remains uncertain

  • Whether Zack Polanski will formally submit his candidacy, as nominations have not yet formally opened.[The Guardian]
  • The final selection outcomes for both the Labour and Green Party candidate ballots.[The Guardian]

Sources