The Holborn and St Pancras by-election on 8 October 2024 was triggered when Sir Keir Starmer stood down as MP in early September. Local voters say affordable housing, action on homelessness, better-lit communal spaces and more visible policing should top the new MP's agenda. Labour has held the seat since its creation in 1983, but the Greens are seeking to capitalise on recent local gains. Candidates confirmed so far include Labour's Sagal Abdi-Wali and Green leader Zack Polanski.
Holborn and St Pancras By-Election: Voters Demand Action on Housing, Homelessness and High-Street Renewal
The constituency encompasses areas stretching from Primrose Hill well into to central London [Getty Images]
Voters in Holborn and St Pancras are being courted by rival parties as a by-election on 8 October 2024 approaches. The contest was called after Sir Keir Starmer stood down as MP in early September to focus on international work; the vote is being watched as an early barometer of local reaction to recent political change.
Local Priorities: Housing, Safety and High Streets
Near King’s Cross, long-time resident Gaven Duffy — who has lived in the constituency for 28 years — told BBC Politics London that affordable housing must be the next MP's top priority. "Even to buy somewhere around here, it's way, way out of my price range," he said, adding that he felt lucky to live in social housing while "others are not so lucky."
Gaven Duffy says he wants the new MP to prioritise housing [BBC]
"Affordable housing must be a priority," said Gaven Duffy, reflecting a common concern among local residents.
Volunteers at the Cowthorne Community Garden also highlighted practical, immediate concerns: poorly lit communal areas as winter approaches and calls for a "real crackdown" on homelessness. Local campaigners emphasised that visible, deliverable proposals on housing and street safety will shape voters' choices.
A Diverse Constituency
The Holborn and St Pancras seat stretches from the leafy streets of Highgate and Primrose Hill to the bustling commercial hubs of Camden Town and Covent Garden. It combines a large student population tied to the University of London and major teaching hospitals with neighbourhoods of acute deprivation in parts of Kentish Town alongside well-to-do pockets elsewhere.
Sir Keir Starmer was the local MP for more than a decade [Reuters]
On Camden High Street, residents expressed a range of concerns. One local said: "In this area, I would like to see more police actually. Yeah, and more enforcement of laws." Another warned that rising business rates and taxes could drive increasingly mobile, remote-working professionals and small businesses away. A third resident urged investment to make the high street "more presentable" and welcoming.
Politics And Candidates
Labour has held Holborn and St Pancras at every election since the constituency was created in 1983, and secured a majority of more than 11,000 votes in the 2024 general election. The Green Party is aiming to build on its momentum from May's local elections, where it finished second to Labour across the seat's council wards.
Sagal Abdi-Wali, leader of Camden Council for Labour, and Green Party deputy leader Zack Polanski are the first two confirmed candidates. The by-election on 8 October is expected to attract contenders from all of the major parties, and local groups say they will judge campaigns by which candidates put forward credible, clear plans on housing, homelessness, street lighting and high-street renewal.
What to watch: expect a campaign focused on practical local issues rather than national rhetoric, with party strategists treating the result as an indicator of local sentiment in inner London.
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