Labour has retained Holborn and St Pancras in a parliamentary by-election, with Sagal Abdi-Wali defeating Green Party leader Zack Polanski in a contest that tested the parties’ competing appeals to left-leaning voters.

Abdi-Wali secured 12,292 votes, representing approximately 45.2% of the ballots cast, while Polanski finished second with 8,928 votes, or 32.8%.

Labour therefore held the north London constituency by 3,364 votes, preventing the Green leader from turning his party’s recent electoral advances into a parliamentary breakthrough.

In Abdi-Wali’s acceptance speech, she expressed gratitude to residents for placing their trust in her.

“I’m deeply honoured that our community in Camden has trusted in me to be the next Member of Parliament for Holborn and St Pancras. From the bottom of my heart, I want to say thank you, and whether you vote for me or not, my commitment to this community runs deep.
“I promise that I will work every day to do whatever I can and all I can to improve your life and to improve the life of you and your family.”
Abdi-Wali

The by-election followed the departure of former Prime Minister Keir Starmer from the seat, creating an opportunity for opposition parties to challenge Labour in a constituency that had long been considered one of its strongholds.

Although Labour emerged victorious, the result also demonstrated the extent to which the Greens have strengthened their position in the constituency. Polanski increased his party’s vote share from approximately 10.4% at the 2024 general election to 32.8%, an increase of more than 22 percentage points. His performance placed the Greens ahead of the Conservatives and Reform UK, but it was insufficient to overcome Labour’s lead.

The Conservative candidate, Ewan Cameron, finished third with 1,922 votes, followed by Reform UK’s Peter Newman with 1,612 and Liberal Democrat candidate Patrick Stillman with 924. Turnout stood at 38.76%, with 27,309 votes cast, significantly below the 54.46% recorded in the constituency at the 2024 general election.

Abdi-Wali Wins on Labour Ticket

Abdi-Wali’s victory marks a transition from local government to Westminster for a politician whose personal background and community involvement featured prominently in her campaign.

Born in Somalia, she arrived in the United Kingdom as a child refugee at the age of six and grew up in the area she now represents. She was elected as a Camden Councillor in 2022 and became leader of the council in May, giving her experience of local government before entering the parliamentary contest.

Her campaign placed housing and homelessness among its central concerns, drawing on issues she had encountered through her work in the community. She also called for Thames Water to be brought into public ownership, arguing that essential services should operate in the public interest.

Abdi-Wali has indicated that she does not intend to approach her parliamentary role as a passive representative.

Before the election, she stated that “anyone who knows my track record knows I won’t just be a backbencher.”

She also pledged to work with Burnham and the Labour government to address the housing crisis, arguing that tackling homelessness must involve more than providing temporary shelter.

The result gives Abdi-Wali a parliamentary platform from which to pursue those priorities, but it also brings the challenge of translating campaign commitments into policy and securing action on issues that depend on decisions beyond the constituency.

Polanski Vows to Continue as Green Leader After Defeat

Zack 1 — Green Party leader Zack Polanski

Meanwhile, Polanski acknowledged the defeat but defended the campaign, arguing that the Greens had expanded their support despite falling short of winning the seat.

In a video posted on social media, he admitted that winning had been his objective, while pointing to the increase in the party’s vote share as evidence of progress.

“I’m not going to pretend that I didn’t want to win. That’s what you do in elections,” he stated.

He also attributed Labour’s victory partly to the political circumstances surrounding Burnham’s early period in office.

“But without a doubt, this is Andy Burnham’s honeymoon. And also, people told me on the doorsteps they want to give Andy Burnham a chance. Well, he’s got that chance now.”
Zack Polanski

Zack Polanski also congratulated Abdi-Wali, wishing her well in representing the constituency. He maintained that the Greens had made progress, declaring that moving from 10% to 33% of the vote share was significant, even as he insisted that the party’s ambitions extended further.

The result, however, arrived amid questions about Polanski’s leadership following divisions within the Green Party over a conference motion declaring “Zionism is racism.”

The motion has prompted criticism and disagreement within the party, placing additional scrutiny on its leadership during an election campaign that was already being treated as an important test of the Greens’ ability to convert increased support into parliamentary representation.

Polanski maintained that his decision to stand in the by-election had been worthwhile, rejecting claims that his candidacy was a mistake.

According to the Green Party Leader, “it’s been amazing to speak to people in Holborn and St Pancras. I’ve really enjoyed the last few weeks.” He also confirmed that he intended to remain as Green Party leader, stating: “Of course I’m going to carry on as leader of the Green Party.”