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The Holborn and St Pancras By-Election
On the 8 October, voters in Holborn and St Pancras headed to the polls to elect their Member of Parliament (MP) in a constituency that houses thousands of UCL students.
Which means our UCL Bloomsbury campus now has a new MP: Sagal Abdi-Wali of the Labour Party.
Sagal has been a councillor for Camden since 2022 and Council leader since May 2026. She grew up in Camden having moved to the area from Somalia in the 1990s as a refugee.
The new MP states that she wants to unlock more opportunities for young people in the borough and, at Students’ Union UCL, we will push to ensure that all our students are included in these conversations.
Why was there a by-election?
The by-election was triggered when Sir Keir Starmer resigned as MP on 1 September, stepping down to pursue a role in international affairs after being replaced as Prime Minister by Andy Burnham. Starmer had held the seat since 2015, meaning we have a new MP for the first time in a decade.
The election was hotly contested by the two favourites, Sagal for Labour and Zack Polanski for the Greens (the party's national leader).
What does this mean for you?
A local MP can have significant impact both locally and nationally. At the local level, if you are a constituent of Holborn and St Pancras, you can speak with Sagal and their team to discuss the local issues that matter to you – whether that is housing, cost of living, student safety, transport, or all of the above.
Nationally, an MP can also influence government and other local authorities. As your Students’ Union, we commit to working with Sagal to ensure student voices are listened to, and action is taken.
This by-election also had a national significance. The result signifies a public confidence in the new Burnham government whilst the Green Party continues to grow in strength in in London.
Student turnout has a big influence on elections, and voting is one of the most direct ways to make your voice heard.
What comes next?
We will be engaging with Sagal to make sure they understand the issues facing you. We'll be pushing for a meeting soon to discuss everything from cost of living to housing to the broader higher education agenda. Watch this space.
You can also engage directly with Sagal if you have any issues you would like to raise by contacting their constituency office.
Finally, if you missed this election – or live outside of the Holborn and St Pancras constituency – then we highly recommend that you register to vote now via this link. It only takes two minutes and will save you the hassle closer to an election!
If you are already registered back home, don’t worry, you can register in more than one place. When a general election arrives, you can choose where to vote.
If you have any questions about voter registration or the by-election, get in touch at [email protected] .