Andrew Feinstein

INDEPENDENT candidate Andrew Feinstein hailed a “remarkable” campaign after finishing in the runners’ up slot in Holborn and St Pancras.

The second-place finish saw him claim 7,305 votes as Sir Keir Starmer saw his vote share fall.

Mr Feinstein said: “He is the first person standing to be prime minister to see his majority reduced. The fact that there was such a significant swing, the fact that his majority was reduced significantly shows that even in his own backyard Keir Starmer’s politics are not particularly popular.”

Mr Feinstein congratulated the efforts of his campaign team and all their hard work over the six weeks.

“I’m incredibly happy how much energy and enthusiasm has been generated in a six week campaign with a tiny budget with a huge group of volunteers most of which have never taken part in an election,” he said.

“Given the turnout, I think that our performance in terms of number of votes is remarkable. Of course, we would have wanted more votes. In an ideal world this campaign would have wanted to beat him but I think in the context of this election it is a remarkable result particularly for the minority communities of Holborn and St Pancras. “We fought in the campaign, for the housing crisis locally, the NHS and obviously Gaza.”

Mr Feinstein spoke of what he wanted to see from Mr Starmer, the newly elected MP and prime minister. “I would hope that he continues his remarkable gymnastics and that he flip-flops from an incredibly conservative manifesto to far more progressive policies.

“From tomorrow Keir Starmer will be held to account like no other MP for Holborn and St Pancras and no other prime minister by the people of his constituency.”

Wes Streeting, due to be Sir Keir’s Starmer’s health secretary, almost didn’t make it, winning by only 500 votes against independent Leanne Mohamad.