Green party concedes in Holborn and St Pancras byelection as result imminent – UK politics live

Greens concede byelection defeatSammy GecsoylerThe Greens have conceded defeat in the Holborn and St Pancras byelection, saying they have come a “close second” in the contest.A party spokesperson said: double quotation markIt is clear now we will come a close second in this by-election. Taking the fight to Labour in one of its safest seats shows just how far the Greens have come. Voters want us to keep Labour’s feet to the fire on affordable housing, public ownership of water and the climate crisis. Greens will be there every single day, holding Labour to account and demanding the change people voted for. The loss will be disappointing for Zack Polanski, who was hoping to replicate the party’s seismic win in Gordon and Denton earlier this year. Thousands of party activists descended on the north London constituency to knock doors but it appears their efforts fell short.The results caps off a bruising week Polanski and his eco-populist party, which fell into turmoil after it voted on Sunday to adopt a policy declaring Zionism as a form of racism, sparking internal division that continued after polls closed. Former party leader Caroline Lucas refused to say whether Polanski should stand down within an hour of polls shutting while speaking to BBC Newsnight.Key events21m agoGreens concede byelection defeat43m agoWho are the candidates?49m agoCounting under way in Holborn and St Pancras byelectionThe byelection candidates have gathered in the vote tally room at Camden Council headquarters in north London and it appears a declaration of the results is imminent.Circling back to Caroline Lucas, the former Green party leader said shortly after the byelection polls closed that Zack Polanski had made a “mistake not to show leadership” over the Zionism policy vote, but she declined to say if he should resign over it.“He should have been there and he should have voted,” she told BBC Newsnight. double quotation markI would’ve hoped that he would have really been a very strong critic of this motion, because the motion was flawed from top to bottom, in my view. Caroline Lucas, the former Green leader, says Polanski’s leadership was ‘missing’ over the Zionism vote. Photograph: Alishia Abodunde/Getty ImagesLucas said she expected he would face a lot criticism from fellow Greens now the byelection was over. But asked if he should resign, she said: double quotation markI think let’s just see what happens in the coming days and weeks ... obviously he has been completed taken up with this byelection. I want him to speak now about what’s happened, I want him to show the leadership that was frankly missing on Sunday. I think the jury is out about whether or not he will do that but I very much hope he will. Activists in Camden have suggested the Greens’ decision to back the anti-Zionism motion has cost them votes in the byelection.Councillors for both Labour the Liberal Democrats told the Press Association that voters had informed them they would not be backing the Green party after it passed the motion last weekend calling Zionism racism.One councillor said people had been “clearly angry” about the issue when they had spoken to them while canvassing.Greens concede byelection defeatSammy GecsoylerThe Greens have conceded defeat in the Holborn and St Pancras byelection, saying they have come a “close second” in the contest.A party spokesperson said: double quotation markIt is clear now we will come a close second in this by-election. Taking the fight to Labour in one of its safest seats shows just how far the Greens have come. Voters want us to keep Labour’s feet to the fire on affordable housing, public ownership of water and the climate crisis. Greens will be there every single day, holding Labour to account and demanding the change people voted for. The loss will be disappointing for Zack Polanski, who was hoping to replicate the party’s seismic win in Gordon and Denton earlier this year. Thousands of party activists descended on the north London constituency to knock doors but it appears their efforts fell short.The results caps off a bruising week Polanski and his eco-populist party, which fell into turmoil after it voted on Sunday to adopt a policy declaring Zionism as a form of racism, sparking internal division that continued after polls closed. Former party leader Caroline Lucas refused to say whether Polanski should stand down within an hour of polls shutting while speaking to BBC Newsnight.The Greens have conceded defeat in the Holborn and St Pancras byelection.A party spokesperson is quoted as saying: “It is clear now we will come a close second.”More details soon.Sammy GecsoylerParty officials are gathering as the result is expected imminently.Sammy GecsoylerFrom the count here in Camden council’s swanky headquarters, signs suggest a Labour-win is imminent.After the polls closed, the Greens issued a fairly downbeat statement on the “positive campaign” the party ran in “what is one of Labour’s safest seats” – hardly a barnstorming comment suggesting confidence in their chances tonight.A Green loss could spell further disquiet in the party after a motion terming Zionism as a form of racism passed at its conference. Shortly after polls closed, former Caroline Lucas refused to say whether Polanski should stand down.Speaking to BBC Newsnight, the former Green leader said: “I want him to show the leadership that was frankly missing on Sunday,” when the motion was voted on. Polanski was campaigning in the constituency instead.Turnout is 38.7%, the lowest for any byelection held in England during this parliament and 15.4% down from 2024.Green party leader Zack Polanski has been seen arriving at Camden Council chambers in north London as the byelection count continues. Here are some scenes from the room.Ballot papers in the Holborn and St Pancras byelection are tallied by staff at Camden Council headquarters in Camden, north London. Photograph: Jordan Pettitt/PAThe byelection was triggered by the resignation of former prime minister and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer. Photograph: Jordan Pettitt/PAHolborn and St Pancras has a large number of students, younger voters and renters, with almost half of residents aged between 18 and 34, while about 45% were born overseas. Photograph: Jordan Pettitt/PAPolls closed at 10pm on Thursday and the result could be announced between 2.30am and 4am local time on Friday. Photograph: Jordan Pettitt/PAZack Polanski’s had a tricky week leading up to the byelection amid criticism he showed a lack of leadership over a policy equating Zionism with racism adopted at last weekend’s Green party conferencePolanski missed the vote on it in Brighton in order to campaign in the Holborn and St Pancras byelection.But the Greens’ adoption of the policy has been highly contentious – drawing sharp rebukes from mainstream UK parties, British Jewish groups and Israel – while also prompting four of five Green MPs to publicly reject the move.The motion said Zionism – the movement for a Jewish state – should be “treated as any other form of racism” and called for Israel to be replaced by a single Palestinian state. The head of the Jewish Greens condemned it and said she might leave the party, although it was supported by some Jewish Greens.Even members who supported large parts of the motion were unhappy about its narrow conception of Zionism which some fear could brand those in favour of the idea of a Jewish homeland – but not specifically the modern-day state of Israel – as racist.The English and Welsh Greens are facing international ostracism after their adoption of the policy drew dismay from the group representing European Greens.Who are the candidates?A quick reminder of the byelection candidates in Holborn and St Pancras: Labour – Sagal Abdi-Wali Green party – Zack Polanski Conservative party – Ewan Cameron Reform UK – Peter Newman Liberal Democrats – Patrick Thomas Stillman Restore Britain – Tyler Kurtis Johnson Workers party – George Galloway Rejoin EU – Briony Anne Lonbay Kapoor Climate party – Clare Fischer UK Voice – Ketankumar Pipaliya Ukip – Ben Walker Monster Raving Loony party – Barmy Brunch Communist League – Jonathan Silberman Christian Peoples Alliance – Helen Spiby-Vann Independent – Tom Darwood Peter WalkerHolborn and St Pancras is, under normal circumstances, a Labour stronghold.Keir Starmer won it with a majority of 11,500 at the 2024 general election despite strong challenges from the Greens and a leftwing independent candidate, who is not standing again and has endorsed Zack Polanski. In 2019 Starmer won by nearly 28,000 votes.Polanski has run a highly energetic campaign. He has mobilised a large numbers of supporters to knock on doors, mimicking February’s Gorton and Denton byelection, where the Greens overcame an even bigger Labour majority to take the seat.Green leader Zack Polanski (second right) campaigning on the streets of Holborn and St Pancras last month. Photograph: Andy Hall/The GuardianHowever, the political landscape has changed. Shortly after Gorton and Denton, YouGov polling put the Greens briefly above Labour, on a peak of 21%. The most recent equivalent had Polanksi’s party on 11%, 16 points behind Labour.Burnham, who succeeded Starmer as prime minister in July, is seen as having revitalised Labour, and used his speech at the party’s annual conference last month to set out a more ambitious and left-leaning collection of policies.Polanski’s fortunes, in contrast, appear to have declined, especially since last weekend’s Green party conference where a vote by members to adopt a policy equating Zionism with racism and calling for Israel to be replaced by a single Palestinian state prompted condemnation and splits in the party.Counting under way in Holborn and St Pancras byelectionHello and welcome to the UK politics live blog.Counting is currently under way in the Holborn and St Pancras byelection in north London, where voters are choosing a replacement for former prime minister Sir Keir Starmer.Starmer announced his decision to step down as an MP in September after being ousted from No 10 by Andy Burnham.Camden council has said the result is expected to be called between 2:30-4am UK time.We’ll bring you the latest developments as we get them.Ballots being counted after polls closed in the Holborn and St Pancras byelection in London on Thursday. Photograph: Carl Court/Getty Images