Zack Polanski says he'll run for former PM Starmer's seat in by-election - BBC News BBC Homepage Skip to content Accessibility Help Your account Home News Sport Earth Reel Worklife Travel Culture Future Music TV Weather Sounds More menu More menu Search BBC Home News Sport Earth Reel Worklife Travel Culture Future Music TV Weather Sounds Close menu BBC News Menu Home Climate World UK Business Tech Science Entertainment & Arts Health In Pictures More BBC Verify Newsbeat Politics Parliaments Brexit Zack Polanski says he'll run for former PM Starmer's seat in by-election Image source, Anadolu via Getty Images Image caption, Zack Polanski has not been an MP in the UK Parliament before By Ewan Somerville , Political reporter  and  Henry Zeffman , Chief political correspondent Published 3 September 2026 Green Party leader Zack Polanski has confirmed he wants to stand in the by-election brought about by Sir Keir Starmer's resignation as an MP. Polanski, who is currently a London Assembly member but not a member of Parliament, said he was "so excited by the prospect" of being the first Green MP for Holborn and St Pancras. The Greens are targeting the seat, until now a Labour stronghold, after coming second to Labour in the area in local elections earlier this year. Sir Keir announced on Tuesday that he was quitting as MP for the London constituency, two months after he stood down as prime minister, setting up a challenging by-election for his successor Andy Burnham. In comments to the Camden New Journal , external on Thursday morning, Polanski said: "I have lived and worked in this community over many years, I know it well and I love it." "It's a clear fight between Labour and the Green Party," he added. Polanski has already been out campaigning in the constituency despite there being no decision on who the Green candidate will be until next week. In an interview with the BBC, he said: "We had a huge surge here in [local elections] in May. This is somewhere we can win."