Who are the candidates for Labour to replace Keir Starmer in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election?

But on September 1, just two months after being ousted as Prime Minister by Andy Burnham, he announced he was stepping down.

While the constituency has previously been seen as a safe Labour seat, with Sir Keir winning almost half of the votes cast at the last general election, the Green Party made major gains in the area at the local polls in May.

The Labour Party has opened applications to replace Sir Keir in what is expected to be a highly competitive contest.

Candidates have until midday on September 4 to apply. Interviews to whittle down the list will then take place, before the candidate is picked after hustings and a selection meeting on September 9.

Here are the Labour figures expected to apply for the coveted seat.

Sagal Abdi-Wali

Camden council leader Sagal Abdi-Wali

Camden council

Sagal Abdi-Wali has been tipped as an early front-runner to take over from Sir Keir.

The Somalian former child refugee is the leader of Camden council and was previously the chairwoman of the local constituency Labour Party.

Ms Abdi-Wali came to Britain in the early 1990s to escape civil war and was first elected as a Labour councillor in 2022.

She has previously discussed her experience fleeing Somalia, telling the Labour List website in 2019: "Camden has been my home since I moved here with my family as a child refugee, fleeing wartorn Somalia.

"This new home is where I was raised and educated; it's where I now work for the council and volunteer for local community groups and charities.

“It is an area steeped in close community values, progressivism and inclusion, all of which have shaped who I am and the socialist principles by which I stand."

After the local elections in May, she was appointed the leader of Camden council.

Tanweer Khan

Tanweer Khan

ES

Tanweer Khan, a former Redbridge councillor, is understood to have put his name forward.

He was later readmitted to the party but only after the allegation meant he was rejected from standing as an MP in Pendle and Clitheroe, the north west constituency he grew up in.

Mr Khan previously warned that there were "rogue individuals" in Labour who "need to be removed or they will destroy the party".

He said he has been falsely accused of being both antisemitic and anti-Palestinian, which has had a devastating impact on his career and family life.

Peray Ahmet

Peray Ahmet, centre, lost her council seat in May

LDRS

The former leader of Haringey council has been tipped as a possible candidate.

Peray Ahmet lost her seat to the Green Party at the local election in May.

After the defeat she called for Sir Keir to step down as Prime Minister.

At the time she said he needed to take responsibility for the “absolute disaster” Labour faced in the wake of the elections.

She has previously held a number of senior positions in children’s services at several London boroughs, including Camden.

Adam Hug

Adam Hug

Getty

Another former town hall leader is expected to apply for the seat.

Adam Hug stepped down as the leader of Westminster council after Labour lost control of the borough at the May local elections.

He remains a councillor in the Westbourne ward.

While leading the central London borough he overhauled housing policies, invested in extra police officers and fought London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan over plans to pedestrianise Oxford Street.

Mr Hug missed out on being selected at the MP candidate for the Queen’s Park and Maida Vale seat ahead of the 2024 general election when former Camden council leader Georgia Gould was selected ahead of him.

Saqhib Ali

Saqhib Ali is understood to have put his name forward.

In 2015, Mr Ali stood in the North East Bedfordshire seat and finished second.

During previous election campaigns, he has spoken about the need to improve town centres, make public transport more affordable and tackle the climate emergency.

Sam Theodoridi

Sam Theodoridi has been suggested as a possible outside candidate.

Other Parties

Zack Polanski is likely to be selected as the Green candidate after announcing he has put his name forward to fight the seat.

Hussain Shafiei has been selected for the Workers Party.

Restore Britain has said it will also field a candidate for the by-election.