{
  "id": 13059081,
  "title": "UK's Green Party Jewish leader Zack Polanski loses parliamentary seat election to Labour candidate",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/09/uks-green-party-jewish-leader-zack-polanski-loses-parliamentary-seat",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-09T07:38:10.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Jerusalem Post",
    "slug": "jerusalem-post",
    "url": "https://www.jpost.com/international/article-911152"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Labour Party's Andy Burnham secured a parliamentary seat vacated by former leader Keir Starmer in a by-election on Friday, defeating Green Party leader Zack Polanski. Labour candidate Sagal Abdi-Wali, a local council leader, received 12,292 votes compared to Polanski's 8,928. The win bolsters Burnham's position as prime minister, appointed by lawmakers concerned Starmer's unpopularity could allow populist Reform UK to challenge in the next national election. Polanski, a 43-year-old former actor and hypnotherapist, has faced criticism after Labour members passed a motion calling for a single democratic Palestinian state and Zionism is racism. The controversial motion drew backlash from Jewish groups, other parties, and the majority of Green Party lawmakers. Despite the criticism, Polanski vowed to remain as leader, describing his victory as part of Andy Burnham's honeymoon period. Labour's Abdi-Wali, who is a child refugee from Somalia, emphasized the victory as a defeat for those seeking to divide the community and vowed to deliver for Holborn and St Pancras constituents.",
  "summary": "Labour candidate Sagal Abdi-Wali, the leader of the local council, won the seat in the central London constituency of Holborn and St Pancras with 12,292 votes, compared with 8,928 for Zack Polanski.",
  "key_points": [
    "Labour candidate Andy Burnham wins by-election, defeating Green Party leader Zack Polanski",
    "Polanski, Jewish leader, loses seat to Burnham, facing criticism for controversial motion",
    "Burnham's victory strengthens position as prime minister amid Reform UK challenge"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 5,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Arutz Sheva - Israel National News",
        "title": "UK Green Party leader loses by-election after party brands Zionism ‘a form of racism’",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/09/uk-green-party-leader-loses-by-election-after-party-brands-zionism-a",
        "published": "2026-10-09T06:33:55.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Haaretz",
        "title": "U.K. Greens' Zack Polanski loses bid for parliament to Labour in London by-election",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/09/u-k-greens-zack-polanski-loses-bid-for-parliament-to-labour-in-london",
        "published": "2026-10-09T07:03:17.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Winnipeg Free Press",
        "title": "UK’s Labour wins a London special election that puts Green Party leader under pressure",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/09/uks-labour-wins-a-london-special-election-that-puts-green-party",
        "published": "2026-10-09T07:47:07.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The National UAE",
        "title": "Labour election winner gives ‘This is Britain’ speech after defeating Green leader Zack Polanski",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/09/labour-election-winner-gives-this-is-britain-speech-after-defeating",
        "published": "2026-10-09T07:57:17.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}