George Galloway’s chances of having a major impact on the Holborn and St Pancras by-election have been dismissed by a senior Green parliamentarian.

Baroness Jenny Jones criticised the leader of the Workers Party of Britain as a “glory seeker” who “just wants attention”.

Mr Galloway’s decision to enter the contest is a blow to Green Party leader Zack Polanski, who is standing in the seat, as it could split the Left-leaning, anti-Labour vote.

But former Labour and ex-Respect MP Mr Galloway has been hit with a backlash over his move from within his party by the resignation of its deputy leader Chris Williamson.

Baroness Jones, a former member of the London Assembly, told The Standard: “He’s a glory seeker. He just wants attention.

“He will confuse the voting a bit - but I think not enough to make a huge difference.”

Responding to the criticism, a spokesman for the Workers Party of Britain (WPB) said: “The Baroness is hardly qualified to talk on Westminster voting, sitting in the Lords as an unelected life peer having repeatedly failed to get elected as an MP herself.”

Mr Galloway, 72, is currently on a speaking tour in South Africa and has events scheduled until October 4, just four days before voters are set to go to the polls in Camden.

However, shortly before he threw his hat into the ring for the north London by-election, he signalled that he may be returning to the city.

He said: “I might be coming back to Britain because there's a by-election pending in Holborn and St Pancras, and unless the Green Party come to the table and make us an offer we can't refuse, we will be standing.

“And if we're standing, it will almost certainly be me that is the candidate.”

WPB campaigners have been out canvassing in the north London by-election, triggered by Sir Keir Starmer quitting as the local MP.

But it was not clear if Mr Galloway, who has represented five seats in Parliament including Bethnal Green and Bow, will turn up in the capital for the contest.

On Camden Council’s list of candidates for the by-election, Mr Galloway’s address has been put down as one in the Dumfries & Galloway constituency in Scotland.

However, he is believed to have been living in “self-imposed exile” in Moscow for the last year after he and his wife Putri Gayatri Pertiwi were detained by counter-terrorism police at Gatwick Airport in September 2025.

They are thought to have been returning to the UK from Moscow via Abu Dhabi.

Neither of them were arrested and police said they were "allowed on their way".

The WPB said Mr Galloway is awaiting confirmation from the Home Office or police that he is “free to carry on with political campaigning” before he fights the by-election on the ground where Labour’s candidate Sagal Abdi-Wali, leader of Camden Council, is favourite to win.

A WPB spokesman said: “George's home address since moving out of London with his family has been in Scotland.

“He was detained along with his wife and party chairwoman Gayatri unjustly by counter terrorism officers at Gatwick airport for nine hours in total, and subsequently released.

“This also happened in 2004. In 2004 the Head of Special Branch (Ports) issued a public apology and confirmed he was free to carry on with political campaigning.

“We are awaiting a similar message from the police or Home Office so that he can hit the ground in Holborn & St Pancras.”

The Standard understands that the Home Office sees no reason why Mr Galloway can not return to the UK.

The WPB said its position was based on legal advice and correspondence with the Home Office.

Mr Galloway last stood for election in the Scottish Parliament in May, where he polled 0.4 per cent of the vote in Glasgow.