Camden councillor challenges Starmer seat
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The gist
Green councillor Hamza Chowdhury challenges Zack Polanski for Starmer's seat.
The race tests Green strategy between national leader and local Palestinian cause.
Background
Former PM Keir Starmer stepped down as MP for Holborn and St Pancras on September 1, 2026, triggering a by-election. The seat is a Labour stronghold, but the Greens have been gaining ground in the area, and their leader Zack Polanski has expressed interest in contesting it. However, some local Green activists are pushing for a Palestinian candidate instead, reflecting internal tensions over the party's direction.
How it unfolded
- Sep 1, 2026Keir Starmer announces he is stepping down as MP for Holborn and St Pancras after 11 years.
- Sep 3, 2026Reports emerge that Sagal Abdi-Wali is the front-runner for Labour, and Green activists are demanding a Palestinian candidate over Polanski.
- Sep 7, 2026Camden councillor Hamza Chowdhury announces he will challenge Polanski for the Green nomination, criticizing him as an outsider.
Who’s saying what
- Challenger
- Hamza Chowdhury says the constituency needs an MP who is present all year round, not someone who appears only during elections.
- Polanski
- Zack Polanski says he has lived and worked in the community for years and is excited to represent it in Parliament.
- Activists
- Some Green activists argue a Palestinian candidate would be 'epic' in challenging Labour in Starmer's old seat.
Still unverified
Reports that Andrew Feinstein will not stand are based on The New Statesman and have not been officially confirmed.