**No parliamentary by-election is currently scheduled following the 8 October 2026 contest in Holborn and St Pancras.** That seat was held by Labour after former Prime Minister Keir Starmer resigned as MP to focus on international affairs following his earlier departure from No. 10. The most recent prior contest was Reform UK’s hold in Clacton on 13 August 2026, triggered by Nigel Farage’s own resignation amid scrutiny of party finances. Westminster by-elections arise when an MP resigns (often via appointment to an office of profit such as the Chiltern Hundreds), dies, faces disqualification, or triggers a recall petition after a standards committee suspension recommendation. Recent examples include strategic vacancies created to bring new figures into Parliament, such as Andy Burnham’s entry in Makerfield, and self-triggered contests like Farage’s. Ongoing parliamentary inquiries, including one into Farage’s undisclosed donations that could lead to further sanctions and a potential recall in Clacton, remain a key variable. Local council by-elections continue on a regular schedule in October and November 2026, but trader focus for this market centers on the timing and party of the next Commons vacancy.