The fight to be MP for Holborn and St Pancras is heating up and parties have chosen candidates for the coveted London parliamentary seat vacated by Sir Keir Starmer.
Some 15 candidates are standing to succeed the former Prime Minister who has represented the Holborn & St Pancras seat since May 2015.
On September 1, just two months after being ousted as from Number 10 by Andy Burnham, he announced he was stepping down.
A by-election is set to be held on October 8 and the contest is a crunch test in London for Andy Burnham’s bid to revive Labour fortunes in the capital.
The Green Party hope it will continue their gains in the capital from May’s local elections and have put forward Zack Polanski to contest the seat - which has been held by Labour since the constituency’s inception in 1983.
The by-election is expected to be a straight shoot-out between Labour and the Greens.
Who are the candidates for the Holborn and St Pancras by-election?
Here is a full list of candidates standing in the election, with nominations now closed.
Sagal Abdi-Wali - Labour
Leader of Camden Council Sagal Abdi-Wali has been chosen as Labour’s candidate in the the upcoming by-election.
She pipped more than 100 candidates to the post to become Labour’s frontrunner in a selection meeting earlier this month.
Cllr Abdi-Wali first came to Britain as a child refugee in the early 1990s after fleeing civil war in Somalia. Since then, she has lived in Camden.
She was elected as a Labour councillor for the Camden Square ward in 2022, after serving as the Cabinet Member for Better Homes - a role which saw her manage the borough’s housing and neighbourhood development.
Cllr Abdi-Wali has also been credited with helping to achieve Camden’s status as a “Borough of Sanctuary” in 2024.
Outside of politics, Cllr Abdi-Wali is a volunteer and a trustee for local charities. She is also the governor for two local schools, according to the Labour Party.
Her views have been largely shaped by her background as a Somalian refugee and she has prioritised housing and homelessness in her role at Camden Council. She has also been vocal about her pro-EU views.
Before her selection, Reform's home affairs spokesman Mr Yusuf posted on X that the Labour frontrunner “was born in Somalia”, adding: “Do you understand what’s happening?”
The comments drew criticism from across the political spectrum, including from other Reform members.
Asked about the comments, Cllr Abdi-Wali told the Standard: “I think it's quite sad. It didn't personally affect me. But I do think about how it might affect young people who might be interested in getting into politics or community work and seeing that kind of negativity and that rhetoric and walking away."
On being selected as the Labour candidate, she said: “This place welcomed my family as refugees and gave us hope when we needed it most. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to build a life here, serving our community as a councillor, school governor and community activist.”
A victory for Cllr Abdi-Wali would see her step down from her role as leader of the north London council to assume Sir Keir’s former seat.
Cllr Abdi-Wali has already launched her campaign and was spotted in the borough alongside Prime Minister Andy Burnham on Thursday. She is currently 1-10 favourite to win the by-election.
Zack Polanski - Green
Green party leader Zack Polanski has been selected as the party’s candidate for the Holborn and St Pancras by-election.
Mr Polanski edged out Camden councillor Hamza Chowdhury to win the candidacy.
Speaking on his win, Mr Polanski acknowledged that the Greens “might be the underdog in this election”, but he believes the party has the “momentum” to win.
Mr Polanski’s political career started in 2015 when he stood as a Liberal Democrat candidate for the for St Pancras and Somers Town by-election in 2015.
He later joined the Green party in 2017, eventually becoming the deputy leader in 2022 after being elected as a member of the London Assembly in 2021.
Mr Polanski has been credited with driving the Green Party’s popularity in recent months. During his tenure, the party has made significant gains and achieved its best results in history in the 2026 local elections. Hannah Spencer MP was elected in the Gorton and Denton by-election, beating Labour and Reform UK, while Zoe Garbett was elected as Mayor of Hackney in May.
The Green party leader moved to the capital in the mid-2000s after growing up in Manchester.
He has been a vocal advocate for wealth redistribution, supporting a wealth tax on the country’s super-rich. Housing and rent controls, as well as universal basic income, have also formed key pillars of his policy.
Independent candidate Andrew Feinstein, who got 7,312 votes just over two years ago, has urged his previous backers to support Mr Polanski.
His chances of winning are currently 6-1.
Ewan Cameron - Conservatives
Ewan Cameron, a former Camden councillor and local political campaigner, will be the Conservative representative in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election.
The Conservatives face a tough prospect in the seat, having won the fourth largest number of votes in 2024, behind Labour, independent candidate Andrew Feinstein, and the Greens.
Tory candidate Mr Cameron said: “This is the community where I have lived, raised my family and call home.
“From Georgian terraces, squares and the Regent’s Canal to the Knowledge Quarter’s research, AI and science organisations today, Holborn and St Pancras has enormous potential that with the right political leadership can become an even better place to live, work and belong.
“We need a Member of Parliament focused on safer streets, more family homes and cutting the cost of living.
“While families are leaving Holborn and St Pancras, the Green leader wants to talk about Gaza. Holborn & St Pancras has recently endured a ‘Never Here’ MP. We do not want another one.”
Patrick Stillman - Liberal Democrats
Patrick Stillman, a Liberal Democrat councillor for West Hampstead and outgoing chairman of Camden Lib Dems, will be the party’s candidate in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election.
The Lib Dems face a uphill task in the by-election, having come sixth in the seat in the 2024 election.
Lib Dem candidate Mr Stillman said: “I’m proud to have been selected as the Liberal Democrat candidate for Holborn and St Pancras.
“Voters here deserve better than a Labour Government in chaos, or a Green Party using this seat to prop up its leader’s ambitions.
“We have a distinct, confident liberal message – on housing, on safety, on giving young Londoners like me a fair shot at building a life here – and I’m going to make that case on every doorstep between now and October 8.”
Nominations for candidates close on September 15.
Pete Newman - Reform UK
Former Metropolitan Police detective Pete Newman will contest the by-election for Reform UK.
Reform UK said Mr Newman is a former counter-terrorism commander who responded to the aftermath of the July 7 bombings.
According to the party, he specifically led Met officers in Westminster to return the borough to normality and assist businesses in building resilience against potential future terrorist acts.
After retiring from the Met, he has worked as a professional security and investigative consultant, according to Reform UK.
Mr Newman said: “I am humbled and honoured to be Reform UK’s parliamentary candidate for Holborn and St Pancras. As a former police detective, it depresses me to see the state of crime and policing in our capital.
“Residents no longer feel safe and our police officers are struggling to cope. Police stations are closing left, right and centre, yet Labour don’t care and our mayor continues to gaslight Londoners over their safety.
“I’m standing to ensure that people in Holborn & St Pancras feel safe on their own streets again. They deserve more than the chaos of Labour and the divisive and contradictory politics of the Green Party.
“Only Reform UK can offer them hope and a fresh start.” specifically led Met officers in Westminster to return the borough to normality and assist businesses in building resilience against potential future terrorist acts.
George Galloway - Workers Party
George Galloway, leader of the Workers Party of Britain, is hoping to become an MP for the eighth time.
Galloway has been leader of the Workers Party since he founded it in 2019, and is a former leader of the Respect Party.
He has served as a Member of Parliament seven times for five different constituencies.
His chances of winning are between 66-1 and 100-1, but his presence could significantly influence the election’s outcome.
Tyler Johnson - Restore Britain
Tyler Johnson is a corporate lawyer based in London.
He says his local priorities are tackling Class A drugs, addressing council housing shortages and reducing congestion charges.
Briony Kapoor - Rejoin EU Party
Briony Kapoor is standing as a candidate in London after previously serving two terms as an independent town councillor in Folkestone and Hythe.
