Votes are being counted in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election, where Labour is defending the seat formerly held by ex-party leader and British prime minister Keir Starmer.
The contest could also have consequences beyond the result itself, with former Green Party leader Caroline Lucas suggesting Zack Polanski’s position could face scrutiny if he fails to win.
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Labour candidate Sagal Abdi-Wali appeared to hold an early advantage as the count progressed, with Mr Polanski her main challenger.
Ms Abdi-Wali, who has led Camden Council since May, entered the race as the bookmakers’ favourite.
Zack Polanski could come under pressure if he fails to become the Green Party’s first London MP
Caroline Lucas, who led the Green Party three times and became its first MP, declined to endorse Mr Polanski’s future when questioned about him on BBC Newsnight.
Asked whether he should remain leader, she told the programme that people should “see what happens in the coming days and weeks”.
Holborn and St Pancras has remained a Labour stronghold since the constituency was created in 1983. Frank Dobson represented it for 32 years before Mr Starmer held the seat for 11.
Turnout was recorded at 38.76%, with 27,309 people voting yesterday.
That marked a sharp fall from the 2024 general election, when turnout reached 54.46%.
Failure to secure the seat would leave Mr Polanski facing possible pressure from within the party in the weeks ahead, as he seeks to make the Greens the first party to elect a London MP.
When polls closed, a Green Party spokesperson said: “Whatever the result later, we’ve run a positive campaign full of energy in what is one of Labour’s safest seats.
“To be the main challenger shows how far the Greens have come.”
The party also said the result could deliver its highest-ever vote share in a London constituency at either a general election or by-election.
Speaking in an interview last night, Ms Lucas stopped short of saying Mr Polanski should remain in post.
She also criticised his decision not to vote on the anti-Zionism motion.
Ms Lucas said: “Should he stand down? I think let’s just see what happens in the next, in the coming days and weeks.
“I mean, obviously he has been completely taken up with this by-election.
“I want him to speak now about what’s happened.
“I want to show the leadership that was frankly missing on Sunday.
“I think the jury is out about whether or not he will do that, but I very much hope he will.”
Keir Starmer won the Holborn and St Pancras seat in 2024 with 48.9% of the vote
A Green Party source said: “There are ups and downs in politics and when people are passionate they disagree in the heat of a campaign.
“We do things differently – unlike Labour who use anonymous sources and resort to factionalism.”
Another Green Party source said: “We had over 1,000 activists on the ground today.
“Zack has shown he has energised this party and will continue to do so.
“He not only is putting key issues that voters care about on the agenda, but he is making a Labour government shift position as well.
“Labour have spent this whole election running scared of Greens.
“This is just a taste of British politics between now and the next general election.”
Mr Starmer won the constituency at the 2024 general election with 48.9% of the vote, securing 18,884 votes.
Independent candidate Andrew Feinstein finished second with 18.9%, or 7,312 votes, while the Green Party came third on 10.4%, with 4,030 votes.
The by-election comes at a pivotal point for Mr Polanski, following the Greens’ record performance in the May 2026 local elections. The party added more than 440 councillors and took control of five councils.
The Deputy leader of the Labour Party said Sagal Abdi-Wali campaigned ‘positively’
Labour deputy leader Lucy Powell praised the party’s candidate, saying: “Our brilliant candidate Sagal Abdi-Wali and our fantastic Labour team have been telling our Labour story of hope.
“Sagal came to Britain as a child refugee, fleeing a war-torn country.
“Educated in great Labour Camden schools, she’s been giving back to her local community ever since.”
Ms Powell said Ms Abdi-Wali had campaigned “positively on her plans to move Camden forwards, by ending rough sleeping, taking on vested interests in the water industry and ensuring every young person has the opportunity they need to thrive”.
“If the voters of Holborn and St Pancras put their trust in Labour, I know that Sagal will work hard every day to make life better for each and every person across the constituency,” she added.
