The Green party’s resident tit-whisperer, Zack Polanski – formerly Dave Paulden – looks set to take on Labour in the race to succeed Sir Keir Starmer as MP for Holborn and St Pancras. After days of will-he-won’t-he speculation, the former Lib Dem has finally confirmed that he will seek local members’ approval to stand in what is shaping up to be a nauseating contest over who is the biggest leftie.
Writing in the Camden New Journal, Polanski declared:
“Holborn & St Pancras has everything that’s the best of our country and so much potential, but for too long now it’s been held back by governments who have failed to make the changes to improve people’s lives.
We know that the Greens can win here, and by electing me, voters will have someone who will always fight their corner – never scared of big donors or the party whip. Too often Labour has stood up for corporations and big money. I will stand up for people struggling to pay their bills.
With independent Gaza nut Andrew Feinstein likely to stand aside to avoid splitting the far-left vote, the Greens have a serious shot at taking the seat. At the time of the 2021 census, the constituency was 20 per cent Muslim and 50 per cent non-white. Palestine will therefore, naturally, take centre stage in the by-election.
Polanski’s intention to stand will no doubt disappoint members of the party’s influential Greens for Palestine group, who had been gunning for a ‘British Palestinian’ candidate. Nonetheless, the party will pour everything into the race, with a new WhatsApp group, ‘Team 6th Green MP’, already up and running to organise canvassing sessions and campaign logistics. For Polanski, the stakes have never been higher – but then he has long claimed a talent for making things bigger.
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