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

From the Newshound archive · first published 10 October 2026.

Sagal Abdi-Wali, Labour's candidate and Camden Council leader, is a 1-33 betting favourite to hold the seat vacated by former prime minister Sir Keir Starmer, with counting underway following Thursday's poll. Green Party leader Zack Polanski mounted a serious challenge, throwing significant resources into the campaign in a bid to become the Greens' sixth MP. The race drew national attention after Labour's 11,572 majority at the 2024 general election left the seat looking safe, but anti-Labour tactical voting complicated the picture. A result is expected in the early hours of Friday.

Polanski's hopes rest on Andrew Feinstein's 7,312 votes from 2024 — Feinstein has urged his backers to back the Greens.

The Greens faced renewed scrutiny after their conference voted to declare Zionism a form of racism during the campaign.

George Galloway is also on the ballot, with Reform UK, the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats given long odds by bookmakers.