Keir Starmer has announced he is resigning as an MP for Holborn and St Pancras, and attention has turned to Zack Polanski, the Green Party leader and a London Assembly member, about whether he could run for the vacancy.
Polanski has said he would only stand if a seat in London became available. A Green Party spokesperson told outlets that Polanski “has always made it clear he would like to be a London MP,” noting that London has been his home for over 20 years. Both reports describe the spokesperson as not ruling out the possibility of campaigning for Starmer’s constituency.
The outlets also provide context on the seat’s recent voting patterns. Starmer previously won a large majority in 2019, but the Labour lead narrowed in 2024, when the Greens increased their vote share and finished third behind Labour and an independent candidate. That has led some coverage to frame the vacancy as an opportunity for the Greens. The reports differ mainly in emphasis: HuffPost UK includes additional detail about Polanski’s past decisions not to challenge other MPs and the party’s recent polling and media controversies, while Left Foot Forward focuses primarily on the Greens’ hint that he may stand.
Key points are the resignation, the Greens’ refusal to rule out Polanski’s candidacy, and indications—based on voting trends—that the seat could be more competitive than in 2019.
