Labour is set to hold Holborn and St Pancras as count gets underway after closely watched by-election vote

From the Newshound archive · first published 10 October 2026.

Polling stations closed Thursday night in Holborn and St Pancras, triggering a count expected to deliver a result in the early hours of Friday, with Labour's Sagal Abdi-Wali the overwhelming 1-33 favourite to hold the seat vacated by former prime minister Sir Keir Starmer. Green Party leader Zack Polanski mounted a serious challenge, pouring resources into the campaign and claiming the race is "close". Andy Burnham issued a last-minute appeal to Labour voters on polling day as the stakes for both parties became clear.

Polanski's hopes rest on former independent candidate Andrew Feinstein — who took 7,312 votes in 2024 — urging his backers to switch to the Greens.

The Greens faced late turbulence after their conference voted to declare Zionism a form of racism, drawing sharp scrutiny of Polanski's campaign in its final days.

Reform UK, the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats, George Galloway and ten other candidates are also on the ballot in the 15-way contest.