U.K. Green leader to seek Parliament seat vacated by Starmer

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The leader of ​Britain’s left-wing Green Party intends to stand in ‌an election for a seat in Parliament ​vacated by former Labour Prime ⁠Minister Keir Starmer, a local newspaper reported on Thursday (September 3, 2026).

Zack Polanski told the Camden New Journal he ‌would be the Green candidate for Holborn and St Pancras, a left-leaning constituency ‌which Starmer held comfortably in 2024 ‌though ⁠with a much-reduced vote share.

“Labour stands ⁠up for corporations and big money,” Mr. Polanski posted on X. “I’ll stand up for people and our communities.”

In ​an election two ‌years ago, an independent candidate who campaigned primarily on opposition to Israel’s war in Gaza took nearly 19% of the vote ‌while the Green candidate received over 10%, ​giving the party hope of taking the seat this time.

Since Mr. ⁠Polanski became Green leader a year ago the party has had successin taking support from ‌Labour’s left, winning a surprise by-election victory in Greater Manchester – where current Prime Minister Andy Burnham was a long-serving mayor – and nationally polling as high as 20%.

But Mr. Polanski’s personal popularity took a hit after ‌he criticised police officers for the way they ​arrested a man who allegedly stabbed two Jewish people in north London in ⁠April, according to pollsters YouGov.

A national YouGov poll ⁠on Wednesday (September 2, 2026) put Labour tied with the right-wing populist Reform U.K. party ‌of anti-Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage on 23% with the opposition Conservatives on 20% ​and the Greens on 13%.

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