Key facts
- A by-election to replace Keir Starmer in Holborn and St Pancras is scheduled for October 8.
- Green Party leader Zack Polanski is seeking nomination for the seat.
- Camden councillor Hamza Chowdhury is challenging Polanski for the Green Party nomination.
- Chowdhury argues Polanski, who lives in east London, cannot adequately represent the constituency.
- Polanski stated he would cycle from his home to represent the area if elected.
A by-election to fill the parliamentary seat vacated by Keir Starmer in the Holborn and St Pancras constituency is scheduled for October 8. Starmer resigned from the House of Commons last week to focus on international affairs, having held the seat with a majority of 11,572 in 2024. The Labour Party initiated the process to trigger the election. The Green Party is expected to be the main challenger, with its leader Zack Polanski announcing his intention to seek the nomination. However, Polanski faces internal opposition from Camden councillor Hamza Chowdhury, who is also seeking the nomination. Chowdhury argues that Polanski, who lives in east London, would be unable to properly represent the constituency and that an MP should be visibly part of the community year-round. Polanski has stated he would cycle from his home in Hackney to represent the area. The Green Party will announce its candidate on September 11, shortly after its annual conference, which takes place from October 2-4. Labour is set to select its candidate on Wednesday.