You might think a byelection(补选) showdown(对决，摊牌) between two progressive parties is unimportant when the deep struggle for the national heart is between the right bloc and the left – but the result in Holborn and St Pancras matters. It matters for Andy Burnham and Labour because this is a test of the Burnham bounce: he saw off the right in Makerfield – can he win over the left too?(这对安迪·伯纳姆和工党都很重要，因为这是对“伯纳姆效应”的一次检验：他在梅克菲尔德击退了右翼——他也能赢得左翼的支持吗？) Can he show he has enthusiastic approval from voters in southern constituencies as well as those in the north?
你或许会认为，当国家灵魂的深层较量发生在右翼阵营与左翼之间时，两个进步政党之间的补选对决无关紧要——但霍尔本和圣潘克拉斯的结果很重要。它对安迪·伯纳姆和工党都很重要，因为这是对“伯纳姆效应”的一次检验：他在梅克菲尔德击退了右翼——他也能赢得左翼的支持吗？他能证明自己不仅在北部的选区，也在南部选区获得选民的热烈认可吗？
For the Greens it matters almost existentially(生死攸关地) because failing here could send them and their leader, Zack Polanski, back to the political fringes(政治边缘). Holborn and St Pancras, neighbouring Westminster, was vacated(空出，腾出) (vengefully(带着报复心地)) by Keir Starmer last week. This plum forever-Labour constituency has attracted 96 Labour applications for selection day on Wednesday, though not, it seems, nationally recognised names.(这个工党永远稳赢的肥缺选区，已吸引96名工党成员申请参加周三的候选人选拔，不过似乎没有全国知名的名字。)
对绿党来说，这几乎是生死攸关的大事，因为在这里失败可能把他们及其领袖扎克·波兰斯基打回政治边缘。与威斯敏斯特相邻的霍尔本和圣潘克拉斯选区，上周被基尔·斯塔默（带着怨气地）空了出来。这个工党永远稳赢的肥缺选区，已吸引96名工党成员申请参加周三的候选人选拔，不过似乎没有全国知名的名字。
This is Labour’s to lose(工党输不起). And it might. The constituency was comfortably won in 2024 by Starmer; in May’s local elections the Greens took extra council seats, though Labour kept control and remained ahead by 10 percentage points. But byelections are idiosyncratic beasts in which voters risk nothing, electing neither council nor government.(然而，补选是种古怪的野兽，选民在其中不冒任何风险，既不选议会也不选政府。) Few bother to turn out(出来投票). For those who do, a byelection offers a free hit(自由发泄的机会) for whimsical(异想天开的) preferences, “sending messages” on maverick(非主流的，特立独行的) issues or an urge to biff(揍，打击) the government of the day.
这个席位工党输不起。但它可能真会输。2024年斯塔默轻松赢得该选区；在5月的地方选举中，绿党赢得了更多议会席位，但工党仍保持控制权，并领先10个百分点。然而，补选是种古怪的野兽，选民在其中不冒任何风险，既不选议会也不选政府。很少有人愿意出来投票。对投票的人来说，补选提供了一个自由发泄的机会，可以随心所欲地表达偏好，就一些非主流议题“传递信息”，或者发泄一下对现任政府的怨气。