Labour retains Starmer’s Holborn seat defeating Green leader Zack Polanski

Labour’s Sagal Abdi-Wali has comfortably won the Holborn and St Pancras by-election, defeating Green Party leader Zack Polanski by more than 3,000 votes.

The Camden Council leader received 12,292 votes, with Mr Polanski coming second with 8,928.

Ewan Cameron of the Conservatives came third with 1,922 votes.

“Whether you voted for me or not my commitment to this community runs deep,” Ms Abdi-Wali said in a deeply personal acceptance speech.

“Now it’s time to deliver,” Ms Abdi-Wali she added.

Mr Polanski said he would “of course” continue as Green leader, following defeat and controversy over the party’s stance on Israel. “We are going to build and we are going to grow,” he said.

The Greens had conceded the result ahead of the declaration, which came around 3am on Friday,

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Everything we know as Labour defeat the Greens in Holborn and St Pancras by-election

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WATCH: By-election victory a testament to the success of diversity, says new Labour MP

As the Restore Britain candidate looked on, Ms Abdi-Wali said that her victory was a testament to the success of diversity in the borough.

She said: “In Camden our diversity is a strength and our cohesion has been too hard won to take for granted.

“We cannot allow that work built over generations to be casually undone by those who seek to divide us.”

Zionism motion didn't impact by-election, says Abdi-Wali

Sagal Abdi-Wali has said the Green Party’s controversial motion on Zionism had no bearing on the by-election result.

The newly elected MP for Holborn and St Pancras said that while people were “scared” about division caused by the motion, she didn’t think it impacted the outcome this morning.

Speaking about her campaign on BBC News, Ms Abdi-Wali said constituents were “looking for hope”, adding that her missions to tackle homelessness and to nationalise Thames Water had resonated with voters.

Sagal Abdi-Wali after her victory in Holborn and St Pancras

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Zack Polanski backs controversial Zionism motion

Zack Polanski has backed the controversial motion which was passed at the annual Green Party conference a few days ago.

The party voted to assert that “Zionism is racism”, stoking widespread backlash and criticism. At the time, Mr Polanski did not vote and avoided giving a definite answer on his thoughts on the motion.

Mr Polanski has now appeared to back the motion.

Speaking to reporters, he said: “I grew up in a Zionist household and I grew up with the idea that that region was a land without a people and a people without a land. And as I’ve educated myself, learnt, discovered, I don’t believe that’s true and what we’re seeing is an ongoing genocide and the displacement of the Palestinian people. I believe that’s clearly racism.”

He added that both Jewish people and Palestinian people can and must be helped.

Green Party leader Zack Polanski after his defeat

PA

In pictures: Sagal Abdi-Wali secures victory in Holborn and St Pancras

Sagal Abdi-Wali has successfully fended off challenge from the Greens to hold Holborn and St Pancras for Labour.

In her victory speech, Ms Abdi-Wali was seen beaming as she emotionally recalled her personal connection to the borough of Camden. She spoke on her experience as a refugee from Somalia, her plea to tackle homelessness, and thanked her predecessors.

Paying tribute to Sir Keir Starmer and Frank Dobson, Ms Abdi-Wali said she was “deeply grateful for their service” and the “foundations they’ve left for the next generation.”

Camden Council leader Sagal Abdi-Wali after being declared the winner

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Sagal Abdi-Wali celebrates winning the Holborn and St Pancras by-election with her supporters

The Standard

Sagal Abdi-Wali celebrates her victory

PA

What will Zack Polanski do now?

Zack Polanski is speaking to reporters following his defeat in the by-election.

When asked if he’ll stay on, he replied: “Of course I can carry on”, while denying that he had lost control of his party.

“What just happened in Holborn and St Pancras is we just over tripled our vote share. What I’ve seen is people excited about our plans for rent controls, tackling the climate crisis and nationalising Thames Water,” he said.

He added that eyes will turn to Andy Burnham to see how he fares now that Labour has been given another “chance” in Holborn and St Pancras.

Green Party leader Zack Polanski after he was defeated in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election

PA

I will not resign, says Polanski

Earlier this morning, we heard from Zack Polanski who was speaking to reporters ahead of the declaration.

Speaking to Sky News, the Green Party leader insisted that he would not resign despite the defeat this morning.

He said he would stay on at the helm of the Greens, because “that’s what leaders do.”

Mr Polanski was hoping to become the Greens’ first ever MP in London, but he fell short by nearly 4,000 votes.

Labour win by-election by nearly 4,000 votes

Labour has held the Holborn and St Pancras by-election, fending off the threat from Zack Polanski’s Green Party.

Sagal Abdi-Wali won 12,292 votes, beating Zack Polanski, who won just under 8,928.

The Conservatives came in third with 1,922 votes.

You can see the results in full here:

'I will never forget where I came from," says newly elected MP Sagal Abdi-Wali

Sagal Abdi-Wali has taken to the stage for her victory speech.

The newly elected MP said: “I hope this moment says something for 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.”

“I will never forget where I came from,” she added.

The Standard

Labour hold Holborn and St Pancras in by-election win

Labour have successfully fended off the challenge from the Greens to win the Holborn and St Pancras by-election.

Sagal Abdi-Wali for Labour received 12,292 votes.

Declaration expected imminently

While we already know the result of the by-election, the official declaration is expected imminently.

Candidates, including frontrunners Zack Polanski and Sagal Abdi-Wali, are now lining up on the stage for the declaration, says the Standard’s Rachael Burford, who is at the count this morning.