Updated 9 October 2026

Britain’s Labour Party retained the Holborn and St Pancras parliamentary seat in a by-election, with Labour candidate Sagal Abdi-Wali winning 12,292 votes to 8,928 for Green Party leader Zack Polanski, Reuters reported.

The contest followed the vacancy created by former Labour leader Keir Starmer’s departure from the seat. The result is being viewed as a test of the political direction under Prime Minister Andy Burnham and of the Greens’ ability to attract voters on the left.

Why the result matters

By-elections can offer an early indication of voter sentiment, but a single constituency result does not necessarily predict a national election. The outcome will be assessed alongside polling, local issues and the parties’ performance in other contests.

Reuters reported that the result could intensify scrutiny of the Greens’ leadership and their recent internal controversies. The parties’ next challenge will be to turn the result into broader support beyond this constituency.

Source: Reuters report, 9 October 2026. This is an independently written summary; read the source report for further details and updates.