Tory revival hopes fuelled as they manage third place in Holborn by-election - while Restore eats into Reform vote

Published: 09:05 EDT, 9 October 2026 | Updated: 09:08 EDT, 9 October 2026 There were more signs of a fledgling Tory revival in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election today.The contest for Keir Starmer's old seat was a two-horse race between Labour and the Greens, with the former emerging victorious. However, the Conservatives candidate managed to come in third, securing 7.1 per cent of the vote - roughly the same as at the general election in 2024.That was ahead of Reform's hopeful, with 5.9 per cent of the ballots cast. Tory strategists will also be interested to note Restore seemingly eating into support for Nigel Farage's party. The newcomers were backed by 2.5 per cent, with those 692 voters more than the difference between the Conservatives and Reform. Kemi Badenoch was attempting to build on fragile Tory improvement at the party's conference in Birmingham this weekLuke Tryl of polling firm More in Common suggested other Tories might have voted tactically for Labour to avoid the Greens winning.'Obviously this wasn’t a race that was about the battle for the Right but the Tories will be pleased to have come third, and continue to do better in London,' he said.Kemi Badenoch was attempting to build on fragile Tory improvement at the party's conference in Birmingham this week.The leader's personal ratings have improved sharply, but overall poll numbers have barely shifted. Mrs Badenoch used her speech to make a bold vow on inheritance tax, saying main family homes would be exempt and couples would get a £1million tax-free allowance on their estates. Labour's candidate Sagal Abdi-Wali romped home with a 3,000 majority in Holborn, despite Green leader Zack Polanski opting to stand himself.However, elections guru Sir John Curtice said Andy Burnham would be wrong to draw the conclusion that Labour is in a dominant position again.Prof Curtice told the BBC that the outcome in Holborn reflected that the Greens were 'notably weaker' in national polls than the spring, when they made big gains in local elections. 'This is not a result that is indicative of Labour being able to do well enough to be able to win a general election with an overall majority,' he said.