Holborn & St Pancras: London Chooses Starmer's Successor

TVS News AI, editorially supervised, presents Holborn & St Pancras: London Chooses Starmer's Successor.

London — the polling stations are open. In the London constituency of Holborn and St Pancras, voters have been deciding since this morning who succeeds Keir Starmer. He announced in September that he would no longer stand for the seat ("standing down").

For you, that means: in the middle of a politically turbulent phase, a by-election is taking place that means more to Labour than a routine matter. It's about the party leader's home constituency — and about the question of how great the damage really is among his core voters.

The Guardian's live blog brings up two other topics today: researchers see the mental health of Britons as permanently damaged by the crises of the past ten years. And Ed Miliband unexpectedly turned up in Kyiv this morning. What you should know today, we summarize here.

Holborn and St Pancras: What is known so far about the by-election

The seat is being reallocated because the previous incumbent Keir Starmer announced his withdrawal last month. The Guardian's live coverage also lists the Greens with their co-leader Zack Polanski as part of the field of candidates; Labour wants to defend the constituency. Complete lists, polls, or projections were not yet available at the live blog's editorial deadline.

You recognize the pattern: in the UK, premiers sometimes quietly announce their departure from Parliament via their constituency — without a dramatic flourish. The exciting question remains what voters give back to them and whether the Greens can continue to gain ground in London.

Miliband in Kyiv: What is the politician doing there?

Also from the live blog: Ed Miliband arrived in the Ukrainian capital this morning. According to the British Foreign Office, he wanted to make clear Britain's unwavering support for Ukraine there. Specific agenda items, a meeting schedule, or further content have not yet been mentioned in the Guardian's coverage.

make clear the UK's unwavering support for Ukraine

The live blog's editorial team themselves write: "We shall, as ever, bring you more when we get it." As soon as details trickle in, we will update here too.

Brexit, Truss, ten years of shocks: Study sees permanent damage to mental health

Independently of the by-election, a new study is attracting attention. Researchers have found a link between the major political events of the past ten years — including Brexit, the so-called mini-budget under Liz Truss and other crises — and a measurable, long-lasting deterioration in the mental health of the British population.

The past decade or so has been tumultuous, shaped by multiple overlapping shocks and ongoing uncertainty and instability that have impacted mental health in Britain.

We have shown that major government decisions and current global events can have substantial impacts on people mental health.

For you, that means: political decisions leave traces in health statistics — and not only during direct crises, but also amid longer-lasting uncertainty. Whether the British government will draw political consequences from the findings is currently open.

What you should keep an eye on now

The count in Holborn and St Pancras will show whether Labour can defend the party leader's home constituency — and whether the Greens with Zack Polanski can make the leap forward. In parallel, details of Miliband's Kyiv trip are likely to follow during the day. As soon as the Guardian live blog delivers new information, we will update here too.

Value for you: You can find the complete live blog with up-to-the-minute updates at The Guardian.