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Zack Polanski has confirmed that he wants to be the Green party’s candidate in the Holborn and St Pancras byelection in an interview with the Camden New Journal – the local paper where Keir Starmer also announced he was standing down as the constituency’s MP.

I have lived and worked in this community over many years, I know it well and I love it

It represents so many of the things that make London so special. I am so excited by the prospect of representing this place in parliament.

Holborn and St Pancras has everything that’s the best of our country and so much potential.

But for too long now it’s been held back by governments who have failed to make the changes to improve people’s lives.

We know that the Greens can win here, and by electing me, voters will have someone who will always fight their corner – never scared of big donors or the party whip. Too often Labour has stood up for corporations and big money. I will stand up for people struggling to pay their bills.

Starmer had a majority of 11.572 at the last election and polling figures, and the results of the May local elections, suggest Labour should win the byelection . But Polanski has shown he is a formidable campaigner, and with him as the Green party’s candidate, Labour will face a much tougher challenge holding the seat.

Polanski said he would put “making life more affordable” at the heart of his campaign.

It’s a clear fight between Labour and the Green party. We know that people are struggling – that the things we used to afford are increasingly out of reach – and this is a chance to send a very clear message that we won’t sit by as we get poorer and extreme wealth is concentrated at the very top.

What voters in Holborn and St Pancras will get with me as their MP is someone totally dedicated to standing up for them. Put simply I will use my place in parliament to force the current Labour government into making life more affordable for the people who live here.

Before Polanski officially becomes the Green party’s candidate, he has to be selected by the local party. But it is not expected that this will be a problem for him. Polanski is hugely popular with party members, and last year won the leadership contest with 84% of the vote.