Green leader Zack Polanski vows to make Burnham take Britain even further Left as he is chosen to take on Labour for Keir Starmer's former seat

Zack Polanski vowed to force Andy Burnham to take Britain even further to the Left today as he was chosen to challenge Labour for Sir Keir Starmer's former Commons seat. The populist Green leader was unveiled as his party's candidate for the October 8 Holborn and St Pancras by-election this morning after local members overwhelmingly chose him.He was picked ahead of Camden councillor Hamza Chowdhury, who ran against him with a blast at 'famous' candidates being parachuted in to fight for seats and then disappearing.Mr Polanski, who has said he will commute to Holborn from his home in trendy east London if he wins, will take on Labour's Sagal Abdi-Wali in a vote triggered by former prime minister Sir Keir's departure from Parliament. The seat has been held by Labour since it was created in 1983, but the Greens are confident they have a real chance of taking it.Coming on stage after a speech by Green MP Hannah Spencer Mr Polanski admitted he was 'starting my speech feeling a bit teary', but went on to say: 'We have the momentum and we can win.'He vowed that if he won he would work with the new PM to bring forward even more leftwing policies.The Green leader was unveiled as the party's candidate for the October 8 Holborn and St Pancras by-election this morning. Mr Polanski will take on Labour's Camden Council leader Sagal Abdi-Wali in a vote triggered by former prime minister Sir Keir's departure from Parliament 'We know that if there's just another Labor MP that adds to Andy Burnham's majority, he will see that as evidence that he's completely on the right track and tinkering around the edges is what people are calling for,' he said.'You can give Andy Burnham a chance and vote Green in this election, because ultimately by sending a Green MP to Parliament who will work with him constructively to challenge him on the gaps in his plans, to push him in the direction, and to keep the pressure on in the way that we already have done, we will have a better government, we'll have a better country, and for the people of Holborn and St Pancras, it follows that they will have a better life.'He also shared his solidarity with Ms Abdi-Wali, a former child refugee born in Somalia, after 'despicable' criticism of her background by Reform's Zia Yusuf on X.'Every single day during this election, I will stand with any candidate who is facing abusive attacks and at the same time put forward Green Party policies that are going to make life easier for everyone in this country and in this constituency,' he told reporters.Ms Spencer said local party members 'overwhelmingly' chose London Assembly member Mr Polanski over Mr Chowdhury for the nomination. The by-election will provide an early test of Prime Minister Andy Burnham's popularity with the public.The Greens are likely to pose the greatest threat to Labour in the contest, but there is also much at stake for Mr Polanski's party.Support for the Greens surged in his first year as leader but the party's national polling has dipped since Mr Burnham replaced Sir Keir in Downing Street.Mr Polanski, a London Assembly member, has previously said he was 'excited' by the prospect of winning the seat and entering the Commons.He dismissed suggestions from rival Mr Chowdhury that the constituency did not need 'another MP who arrives during an election campaign' then 'disappears once the votes are counted'.MP Hannah Spencer said local party members 'overwhelmingly' chose London Assembly member Mr Polanski over Mr Chowdhury for the nomination'I think the local party already knows that doesn't describe me at all. It's a place that I know very, very well,' Mr Polanski said on Wednesday.'I'm excited for this campaign because I think the Green Party and I have a real story to tell and I'm confident, but not complacent, I'll be out there campaigning for every vote, that it's a message that will resonate with people in Holborn and St Pancras.'Ms Abdi-Wali, who has led Camden Council since May this year and been a councillor for Camden Square since 2022, will seek to retain the seat for Labour.Mr Burnham visited the constituency on Thursday to support Ms Abdi-Wali on her first day of campaigning, she said in an X post.Only two Labour MPs have ever represented Holborn and St Pancras: former health secretary Frank Dobson, from 1983 to 2015, then Sir Keir.At the most recent general election in 2024, Sir Keir held the seat with 48.9 per cent of the vote, ahead of independent candidate Andrew Feinstein in second place on 18.9 per cent and the Greens in third on 10.4 per cent.The Conservatives came fourth on 7.2 per cent, Reform finished fifth on 6.1 per cent and the Liberal Democrats were sixth on 5.8 per cent.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.The Green Party also made gains in the May local elections in the London Borough of Camden, the local authority that covers the constituency.Government chief whip Anneliese Midgley moved the writ in the House of Commons on Monday, officially triggering the by-election.Sir Keir revealed his plans to leave Parliament earlier this month, saying he felt it was the 'right time' to step down and focus on new work on international affairs.MP Liam Conlon Labour's by-election political lead, said: 'Only Labour's Sagal Abdi-Wali is rooted in this community and has a proven track record of delivering for Camden. She has spent 20 years volunteering across this area, and taken action to improve housing and support for young families as council leader.'Labour will run a positive campaign that brings people together and gives them hope. We look forward to joining hundreds of campaigners on the doorsteps to get Sagal elected as the progressive local voice that Holborn and St Pancras deserves.'