Can the Green Party’s Polanski take on Labour and win Starmer’s old seat?

What the report says

Zack Polanski, the Green Party leader, has said he will seek selection as the party’s candidate in a coming by-election for Holborn and St Pancras, the London seat Keir Starmer vacated this week when he stepped down as MP. The constituency has only ever elected Labour MPs since it was created in 1983, but the contest is drawing unusual attention because the Greens have recently improved their performance in London and nationally.

Al Jazeera reports that Polanski has helped lift the Greens from the political margins into double-digit polling, and the party won 28.8 percent across Camden council wards in May, compared with Labour’s 38.8 percent. Still, several analysts said defeating Labour in this long-held stronghold would be difficult. They pointed to Labour’s continued local strength, the possibility of a short-term boost for the governing party, and the importance of when the by-election is held.

The article also noted that Polanski’s profile carries both advantages and risks. Supporters say he is rooted in the area, while critics have questioned whether he would appear imposed on the constituency. His earlier candidacy there, a council tax apology and a missed local election vote were also cited as possible vulnerabilities. More broadly, the Greens’ recent gains, including a by-election win in Greater Manchester and a strong showing in London, have raised expectations, but some experts warned the party may have already hit a high point.