Burnham’s Labour faces Green challenge in Starmer’s former seat

Andy Burnham, the Labour leader, is facing a challenge from the Green party in a by-election on Thursday in the inner London constituency of Holborn and St Pancras. This seat was vacated by former Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who resigned from his position as Labour Party leader. Burnham hopes to consolidate the left-of-centre vote and strengthen his efforts to take on the Reform UK and Conservative parties, which have split the British right.

The by-election is a test of whether Burnham can regain the trust of Labour voters, who have become increasingly disillusioned with the party's stance on the war in Gaza. Many voters, such as tech worker Dani Arbid, have turned to the Green party in response, helping them achieve their strongest result ever in local elections in May. Burnham has adopted a tougher stance on Israel and a more ambitious approach to ties with the European Union in an attempt to appeal to these voters.

Although the national picture shows that Nigel Farage's Reform UK poses a significant threat to Burnham, the by-election is mainly a contest between Labour and the Greens. Thousands of activists from both parties have been canvassing in recent weeks. Burnham hopes to show that he can regain the momentum that the Greens have built up under their new leader, Zack Polanski.

Polanski, who is Jewish, is the Green party candidate in Holborn and St Pancras, but he is not expected to win. Labour's Sagal Abdi-Wali, a local council leader, is the favorite to hold the seat for the governing party. Green gains in London have contributed to Labour's poor performance in local elections, which led to Starmer's resignation and Burnham's appointment as the new party leader. Since then, Labour's popularity has rebounded in national opinion polls, while the Greens have suffered setbacks.

At a recent Green party conference, members voted to classify Zionism as a form of racism, a move that drew criticism from British Jewish groups, Israel, and even some Green lawmakers. Polanski, who is Jewish, did not participate in the vote. Burnham's government has taken a more critical stance towards Israel and banned the import of goods from West Bank settlements, which the Greens have accused of overstepping the line.

Local resident Kamran Ahmed, who works in AI, believes that the Greens have something new to offer and could provide a fresh perspective on issues that the Conservative and Labour parties no longer address adequately. He echoes the frustration felt by many that the previously dominant parties have failed to deliver on their promises. Ultimately, it remains to be seen whether Burnham can successfully challenge the Greens and consolidate the left-of-centre vote in this by-election.