'Keir was bad, Polanski is a phony': What voters in Starmer's old seat really think

A day after Keir Starmer quit as Holborn and St Pancras MP, one local voter was in no doubt which party will win the forthcoming by-election in this traditionally ruby-red north London seat.

“Labour will get in. They could put a pig in. They could put anyone in,” he told The i Paper.

But Starmer’s resignation, and unwanted parting gift to his No 10 deposer Andy Burnham, represents an unexpected headache for the new Prime Minister.

In the 2024 general election, Starmer’s majority was slashed by around 16,000 as his vote was squeezed by pro-Gaza candidates. Independent candidate Andrew Feinstein came second with 7,312 (18 per cent) to Labour’s 18,884 (48 per cent).

The Green Party of England and Wales won just over 4,000 votes, around 10 per cent, and party leader Zack Polanski has indicated he will stand when the seat is contested again in the coming weeks.