Andy Burnham makes surprise London by-election visit as Labour faces Zack Polanski in fierce vote showdown

“I was so pleased for you,” Mr Burnham told Ms Abdi-Wali.

“I think you've been amazing what you've achieved with Camden Council, but we want you in Parliament.”

Camden Council leader Sagal Abdi-Wali, Labour’s candidate for the Holborn and St Pancras by-election, with Andy Burnham

No10

“It's been an amazing day to be able to just get out there and hit the ground running,” she said.

“We had the Prime Minister come down to Holborn and St Pancras, and it was amazing to meet him.

“We've been able to leaflet all of our Tube stations, and it's amazing the response we’ve had.

“We’ve been walking around the entire constituency, being stopped by local people, telling me that they're going to support us and wanting us to win and make sure that we keep this seat Labour.”

However, he was competing against local councillor Hamza Chowdhury for the Green nomination.

Green Party leader Zack Polanski wants to become a London MP

PA Wire

The by-election will provide an early test of Mr Burnham’s popularity with the public.

After his low-key visit to north London on Thursday, it was not yet clear how prominent a role he will play in Labour’s by-election campaign.

Prime Ministers tend to stay away from many by-elections as the party in Government often loses these contests.

Only two Labour MPs have ever represented Holborn and St Pancras: former health secretary Frank Dobson, from 1983 to 2015, then Sir Keir.

Former Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who has steppe down as the MP for Holborn and St Pancras

PA

At the most recent general election in 2024, Sir Keir held the seat with 48.9% of the vote, ahead of independent candidate Andrew Feinstein in second place on 18.9% and the Greens in third on 10.4%.

The Conservatives came fourth on 7.2%, Reform finished fifth on 6.1% and the Liberal Democrats were sixth on 5.8%.

The popularity of the independent and Green candidates at the 2024 contest, finishing second and third respectively, may have been partly down to former Labour voters protesting against Sir Keir’s refusal to take a stronger position on Israel’s actions in Gaza in the war with Hamas.

Government chief whip Anneliese Midgley moved the writ in the House of Commons on Monday, officially triggering the by-election.