Zack Polanski has ended all the speculation and told us he wants to be Green Party candidate

ZACK Polanski, the leader of the Green Party, has announced his intention to stand as a candidate in Holborn and St Pancras – following Sir Keir Starmer’s resignation.

He had pledged to stand in a by-election if one came up in London and exclusively told the New Journal he was ready to fight this one.

“I have lived and worked in this community over many years, I know it well and I love it,” he said.

“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,” said Mr Polanski.

“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.”

Sir Keir Starmer’s closest challenger in the constituency at the 2024 general election was the independent candidate Andrew Feinstein.

He said this week that “progressive forces” should “unite in order to deliver an MP who represents us and will work for us. An MP who is the antithesis of everything that Starmer stands for.”

Mr Polanski’s announcement suggests that Mr Feinstein will not risk split votes by also standing. The leader must still be officially selected by local Green members but this is not expected to be a major hurdle.

The Greens have won council seats in London and overall control of other boroughs, but they have never won a parliamentary seat in the capital, hence Mr Polanski’s claim that this could be a historic by-election for his party.

The idea that this constituency would ever be anything but Labour was once almost unthinkable under Frank Dobson and then Mr Starmer, but now it has become a target seat.

Mr Polanski, who is also a member of the London Assembly, said: “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.”