Brief

Labour’s Sagal Abdi‑Wali wins Holborn and St Pancras by‑election

Labour’s Sagal Abdi‑Wali secured the seat with 12,292 votes, beating Green leader Zack Polanski who said he would remain in his role.

By Felo News Desk · Published Fri, 09 Oct 2026 13:54:24 GMT

Labour candidate Sagal Abdi‑Wali was declared the winner of the Holborn and St Pancras by‑election on Friday morning, securing 12,292 votes (45% of the total) according to Standard.co.uk.

Green Party leader Zack Polanski came second with 8,928 votes (33%). Turnout was 38.76% of the 27,309 votes cast. The Green Party’s share rose by 22.4 percentage points compared with the previous election.

In her victory speech, Abdi‑Wali said, “I hope this moment also says something about who gets to belong, for people who look like me, I hope they see themselves reflected in this place and know that their path too belongs here. This is Camden, and this is Britain.” She added that diversity in Camden is a strength and that the result shows politics can bring people together rather than divide them.

Polanski, addressing reporters after the count, insisted he would remain leader of the Greens, stating, “Of course I can carry on,” and denied any loss of control over his party. He highlighted the party’s surge, noting that the vote share had more than doubled and that their platform on rent controls, climate action and nationalising Thames Water resonated with voters.

Abdi‑Wali’s win is being framed as a test for Prime Minister Andy Burnham, with observers suggesting the result could influence his decision on whether to call an early general election.

Key facts

Sagal Abdi‑Wali won the Holborn and St Pancras by‑election with 12,292 votes (45%). (standard.co.uk)
Zack Polanski received 8,928 votes (33%) and said he would stay on as Green leader. (standard.co.uk)
Turnout was 38.76% of 27,309 votes cast. (standard.co.uk)
The Green Party’s vote share increased by 22.4 percentage points from the previous election. (standard.co.uk)