Zack Polanski And The Holborn And St Pancras By-Election: What Does October 2026 Say?

British politics has produced another contest that would have seemed distinctly unlikely only a short time ago.

Following Sir Keir Starmer's decision to leave Parliament, Green Party leader Zack Polanski has announced his intention to seek the Green nomination for the resulting Holborn and St Pancras by-election. Polanski told the Camden New Journal that he wants to contest the seat, describing his connection with an area in which he has previously lived and worked.

At the time of writing, two things remain unresolved. Local Green members must still formally select their candidate, and a polling date has not yet been announced. Parliamentary by-elections follow a statutory timetable once the writ is issued, but until that happens there is no election-day horoscope to examine.

That does not leave astrology with nothing to say.

October 2026 is already being discussed as an important part of the emerging political timetable, and Polanski's transits during that month are sufficiently striking to deserve attention in their own right. They describe a period of unusually intense visibility, communication, competition and reassessment.

There are encouraging signatures. There are also some awkward ones.

Perhaps most significantly, this does not look like a quiet month in Zack Polanski's horoscope.

First, A Necessary Warning About The Birth Chart

Public biographical sources give Polanski's birth date as 2 November 1982 and his birthplace as Salford. What is not publicly established is a reliable birth time.

That distinction matters enormously.

Without a birth time, it would be wrong to claim a particular Ascendant, Midheaven or house placement. Those are precisely the factors an astrologer would normally want to examine when considering an election to Parliament, because the angles of a natal chart can tell us a great deal about changes in public position and status.

For this analysis, a noon chart can therefore be used purely as a convenient way of plotting the planets. The houses and angles should be ignored.

Fortunately, most of Polanski's planetary positions are not in doubt. His natal Sun is at approximately 9°44' Scorpio, Venus at 9°20' Scorpio, Mercury at 29°05' Libra, Mars at 1°09' Capricorn, Jupiter at 18°26' Scorpio, Saturn at 26°56' Libra, Uranus at 3°23' Sagittarius, Neptune at 25°09' Sagittarius and Pluto at 27°23' Libra.

His Moon remains in Taurus throughout 2 November, so the Moon sign itself is secure, but its precise degree moves too far during the day to build detailed transit predictions around it.

That gives us quite enough to work with.

The Scorpio Signature Is Hard To Miss

Polanski was born with the Sun, Venus and Jupiter in Scorpio.

This does not tell us what his politics must be, nor does it explain electoral behaviour. Astrology is symbolic rather than causal. Nevertheless, the concentration is interesting when considered alongside the political style for which Polanski has become known.

Scorpio is traditionally associated with intensity, strategic focus, questions of power and an unwillingness to remain comfortably on the surface of an issue. Polanski's own description of his politics as “eco-populist” has been built around deliberately confrontational arguments concerning wealth, corporate power and inequality.

That style has coincided with a rapid rise. Polanski became Green Party leader in September 2025 after previously serving as deputy leader, while remaining a London Assembly member. The Greens have subsequently attempted to position themselves as a more disruptive force in British politics rather than simply an environmental pressure group.

Holborn and St Pancras would be a formidable test of whether that strategy can translate into another parliamentary seat.

In the 2024 general election, Starmer received 18,884 votes. Independent Andrew Feinstein was second with 7,312, while the Green candidate David Stansell received 4,030. Those official Camden election results show the scale of the gap that existed only two years ago.

A by-election is a different political creature, however. Turnout changes. Candidates change. National attention can descend upon one constituency. Tactical voting can become far more important.

And astrologically, Polanski enters October with his own Scorpio planets being activated very strongly.

Venus Stops Almost On Top Of His Sun And Venus

This is arguably the most intriguing feature of the entire month.

Venus begins October in Scorpio and stations retrograde on 3 October at approximately 8°29' Scorpio.

Polanski's natal Venus is at approximately 9°20' Scorpio.

His natal Sun is at approximately 9°44' Scorpio.

In other words, Venus virtually stops in the sky on top of his natal Sun-Venus conjunction.

That deserves attention.

Venus in astrology is concerned with attraction, relationships, agreement, popularity, values and the ability to bring people towards rather than push them away. The Sun represents identity, visibility and the individual's sense of purpose.

For a politician entering a highly public contest, a Venus transit over the Sun can be very welcome. Symbolically, it can describe increased personal appeal, favourable attention and a moment when the individual rather than simply the party becomes part of the political proposition.

That last point is particularly relevant here.

A Polanski candidacy would inevitably be highly personalised. He is the national leader of the Green Party attempting to enter the Commons through the former prime minister's constituency. The contest would be about Holborn and St Pancras, certainly, but it would also become a test of Polanski himself.

But Venus Is Turning Retrograde

There is an important qualification.

Venus does not simply pass over these positions and continue forwards. It stations and reverses direction.

Retrograde Venus traditionally brings questions of value and relationship back under examination. What attracts people? Which alliances are genuine? What does popularity actually rest upon? What is something worth once it is subjected to closer scrutiny?

In political terms, that makes the symbolism much more complicated than “Venus means voters like him”.

The early part of October could certainly amplify Polanski's personal visibility and appeal. But Venus retrograde suggests that this appeal is simultaneously being examined, reconsidered and tested.

Old stories can return under retrograde cycles. Previous relationships and controversies can become relevant again. A candidate can find that the public conversation is not simply about the message they want to deliver today, but about things they have previously said or done.

That would not be especially surprising in a nationally watched parliamentary by-election.

7 And 8 October: Mercury Crosses Venus And The Sun

The first week of October contains another striking sequence.

Mercury moves through Scorpio and reaches Polanski's natal Venus around 7 October before crossing his natal Sun on 8 October.

This is almost textbook symbolism for a period in which communication and personality become tightly connected.

Mercury governs speech, messages, interviews, argument, negotiation and the exchange of information. When Mercury crosses the natal Sun, the person's voice can become especially prominent. When it crosses Venus immediately beforehand, there can be an additional emphasis on persuasive communication and finding language capable of connecting with an audience.

If the campaign is gathering momentum during the first week of October, this looks like a potentially productive period for speeches, interviews, media appearances and attempts to establish the central argument of the campaign.

There is also an interesting psychological dimension.

Polanski has repeatedly emphasised storytelling as part of his political method. He has argued that political movements can possess policies and data but still fail if they cannot communicate a compelling story.

Mercury crossing his natal Sun-Venus conjunction fits that emphasis remarkably well as an astrological image: message, personality and attraction briefly operating in the same part of the chart.

Again, that is symbolism rather than a mechanism. It does not mean an interview given on 8 October automatically produces votes.

But if one were looking for a period in October when Polanski's ability to communicate personally becomes especially important, the first week would be difficult to ignore.

Then Mars Arrives

The atmosphere changes sharply around the middle of the month.

Mars in Leo forms an exact square to Polanski's natal Venus around 14 October and then squares his natal Sun around 15 October.

This is not subtle astrology.

Mars represents competition, assertion, confrontation, effort and conflict. A square creates friction. A Mars-Sun square can produce extraordinary energy and determination, but it can also correspond with impatience, provocation and circumstances in which somebody finds themselves forced to defend their position.

In an election campaign, some of that symbolism is perfectly appropriate.

Campaigns are contests. Candidates need stamina. They have opponents. They face hostile questions. Political weaknesses that might attract little attention normally can become headline material during a by-election.

The danger with Mars square the Sun is not that conflict exists. Conflict is almost unavoidable.

The danger is allowing conflict to control the campaign.

Mars square Venus immediately beforehand introduces a similar tension around popularity and relationships. Attempts to appeal broadly can collide with the desire to make sharper political attacks. Allies may disagree over tone or strategy. A message designed to excite supporters may simultaneously alienate somebody else.

For Polanski, mid-October therefore looks less comfortable than the opening week.

That does not necessarily make it unsuccessful. Mars transits can be extremely productive when somebody has an obvious contest into which the energy can be directed.

What they rarely encourage is passivity.

Mercury Meets Jupiter , Twice

Another unusually interesting pattern begins around 17 October.

Mercury reaches Polanski's natal Jupiter at approximately 18° Scorpio.

Mercury-Jupiter contacts tend to enlarge communication. They can accompany ambitious arguments, big announcements, publicity, ideological debate and attempts to persuade people to see a broader picture.

For the leader of a smaller party attempting to use a single constituency contest to make a national political argument, that symbolism is almost suspiciously appropriate.

Polanski has already described the Holborn and St Pancras contest in national terms rather than merely local ones. The Green Party has framed the forthcoming by-election as a test of its broader economic and political message.

A Mercury-Jupiter conjunction fits a moment in which the campaign attempts to become about something larger than itself.

But October has another trick waiting.

Mercury stations retrograde on 24 October.

It then moves backwards and reaches Polanski's natal Jupiter for a second time, around 30 October.

The same conversation therefore returns.

A statement may need explaining. An argument may need refining. A large promise could come under scrutiny. A media narrative could circle back for another round.

Mercury-Jupiter is confident communication, but confidence and accuracy are not always identical. Jupiter expands whatever it touches. With Mercury involved, the great strength is the ability to communicate a big idea. The weakness is saying more than can comfortably be defended afterwards.

That distinction could matter enormously during a closely watched campaign.

The Wider Astrology Is About Reinvention

Some of October's most important transits are not confined to a few days.

Uranus is moving through early Gemini, approaching an opposition to Polanski's natal Uranus in Sagittarius. This is part of the classic Uranus opposition experienced around midlife.

Psychologically, the Uranus opposition can correspond with a period of substantial reinvention. Established identities are questioned. Freedom becomes more important. Directions that previously seemed stable can suddenly become restrictive.

For a politician who has moved from London Assembly member to national party leader and is now considering a route into Westminster, the timing is intriguing.

The transit does not tell us that Parliament must be the outcome. What it does describe remarkably well is the refusal to remain within an established role.

Polanski is attempting something different.

Pluto reinforces that story. During October it sits around 3° Aquarius, making a close sextile to his natal Uranus at approximately 3° Sagittarius.

Pluto is associated astrologically with power, transformation and processes that permanently alter an existing structure. Uranus disrupts and liberates.

Together, the symbolism suits a politician whose strategy relies heavily upon disruption of an established political order.

That is not the same thing as saying the disruption succeeds.

Sometimes Uranian politics changes the person attempting the disruption as much as the institution being challenged.

Neptune Against Mars Adds A Warning

There is another slower-moving transit worth watching.

Neptune in early Aries is approaching a square to Polanski's natal Mars at approximately 1° Capricorn.

Mars wants a target. Neptune tends to dissolve boundaries.

The combination can therefore produce a strange mixture of idealism and uncertain direction. Tremendous energy may be poured into something whose eventual shape remains unclear. Physical and psychological stamina can also become harder to judge accurately.

That is relevant in a campaign likely to demand relentless appearances, canvassing, media work and strategic decisions.

At its most constructive, Neptune-Mars can describe acting on behalf of an ideal rather than simply personal ambition.

At its more difficult end, it can describe wasted energy, confused objectives or discovering that the battle being fought is not quite the battle originally imagined.

Late October Becomes Much More Serious

The final week of October is astrologically dense.

Retrograde Venus leaves Scorpio and returns to Libra. As it does so, it crosses several important points in Polanski's natal chart in rapid succession.

Around 26 October, Venus returns to his natal Mercury at approximately 29° Libra.
Around 29 October, Venus reaches his natal Pluto at approximately 27° Libra.
Around 30 October, Venus reaches his natal Saturn at approximately 26° Libra.

That sequence is considerably more complicated than the attractive Venus-Sun symbolism with which the month begins.

Venus-Mercury returns attention to message, negotiation and the relationship between what is said and how it is received.

Venus-Pluto is more intense. It can bring questions of influence, loyalty, political relationships and power beneath apparently cordial arrangements.

Then Venus-Saturn introduces judgement, limits and consequences.

Saturn asks what lasts.

For an election campaign, that is a serious question. Momentum, enthusiasm and media attention are useful, but eventually a political operation has to convert them into organisation, credibility and votes.

Venus reaching Saturn near the end of October has little of the breezy quality sometimes associated with a supposedly “benefic” Venus transit. It feels more like the moment when popularity encounters reality.

And Mars Squares Jupiter At The End Of The Month

On 31 October, Mars reaches approximately 18° Leo and forms an almost exact square to Polanski's natal Jupiter in Scorpio.

Mars-Jupiter is ambitious.

Sometimes gloriously so.

The combination can produce courage, confidence and the willingness to attempt something other people regard as unrealistic. It has a natural appetite for the large contest.

But it is also one of the classic combinations for overreach.

Mars says act. Jupiter says more.

The result can be a spectacular effort or a spectacular miscalculation depending upon how well judgement keeps pace with enthusiasm.

If the political timetable pushes the contest towards the end of October, this aspect would deserve particular attention. It certainly does not suggest a candidate lacking motivation.

Whether it represents the final push of a breakthrough or an attempt that has asked too much cannot be determined from the transit alone.

So Does October Look Good For Zack Polanski?

The answer is more interesting than either “yes” or “no”.

October contains genuine astrological support for visibility and political impact.

The Venus station almost exactly on Polanski's natal Sun-Venus conjunction is exceptional. Mercury crossing those same planets adds a strong communication signature. The slow Uranus and Pluto contacts fit a period of political reinvention and disruption. There is nothing in this horoscope suggesting that Polanski enters October as a peripheral figure.

Quite the opposite.

Astrologically, he looks extremely engaged with the moment.

But visibility is not victory.

Mars squares his Sun and Venus in the middle of the month. Mercury turns retrograde after contacting Jupiter. Venus itself is retrograde throughout most of the story and ends the month moving across natal Pluto and Saturn. Mars then squares Jupiter.

Those aspects introduce confrontation, reconsideration, scrutiny and the possibility of overextension.

If the question is whether October looks capable of producing a political breakthrough, there is certainly enough in the astrology to take the possibility seriously.

If the question is whether Polanski's chart gives a clean astrological promise that he will become the next MP for Holborn and St Pancras, it does not.

The Missing Election Date Matters

The most important piece of astrology cannot yet be done.

There is currently no confirmed polling date. Without that, there is no genuine by-election chart to compare with Polanski's natal horoscope.

Once a date is announced, an astrologer can examine the Moon, angles and planetary aspects for the actual opening of the poll and compare them with the natal planets.

Even then, Polanski's unknown birth time remains a significant limitation. Without a reliable natal Midheaven or Ascendant, some of the clearest indicators of a change in public status are unavailable.

That should encourage restraint rather than prevent interpretation altogether.

What October gives us is the surrounding weather.

The beginning of the month emphasises personal appeal and communication. The middle becomes combative. The second half repeatedly revisits questions of message and ambition. The closing days become more intense, consequential and potentially excessive.

It looks less like a coronation than a political battle.

And perhaps that is the most interesting thing about the chart.

A Seat That Could Change More Than One Career

Holborn and St Pancras has been represented by Labour continuously since the constituency was created in 1983. Taking it would therefore be more than another Green parliamentary gain.

For Polanski personally, it would move him from the London Assembly into the House of Commons while he leads a party attempting to establish itself as a significant force on the British left.

For Labour, losing the former prime minister's constituency to the Green leader would carry an obvious symbolic weight far beyond Camden.

That makes this exactly the kind of political moment in which astrology can be fascinating, provided it is not asked to do something it cannot responsibly do.

At Wilfred Hazelwood Astrology, the purpose of examining a chart such as this is not to replace political judgement with planetary determinism. Astrology gives us another language in which to consider periods of pressure, opportunity, identity and change.

October 2026 gives Zack Polanski plenty of all four.

Venus puts him in the spotlight. Mercury gives him something to say. Mars ensures there is a fight. Uranus asks him to leave an established political identity behind, while Pluto suggests that the questions of change and power around him are becoming considerably larger.

The stars do not count ballot papers.

But if Polanski does become the Green candidate for Holborn and St Pancras, October certainly looks capable of providing one of the most consequential political contests of his career.

When the polling date is finally announced, that is when the astrology becomes even more interesting.