Sagal Abdi-Wali, the Labour candidate selected to contest the Holborn and St Pancras parliamentary seat, has strongly condemned what she describes as “hateful rhetoric” surrounding her candidacy. Abdi-Wali, who arrived in Britain as a child refugee from Somalia, directly addressed comments made by Reform UK’s Zia Yusuf, who questioned her suitability for the role due to her birthplace. Labour has characterized Yusuf’s remarks as “straightforward racism.” In her first national newspaper interview, Abdi-Wali stated that the negative discourse has only strengthened her resolve to champion young people and highlight the benefits of diversity within the community.
Challenging Divisive Language
Abdi-Wali articulated that the personal attacks have prompted deeper reflection on the impact such divisive language can have on young individuals considering community involvement. “The negative rhetoric hasn’t had an effect on me personally,” she explained. “It’s made me think quite deeply about what it would mean to a young person who’s thinking of wanting to get involved in their community and be more active, and seeing that divisive and hateful rhetoric and thinking maybe that’s not a role that they want to get involved in because it’s too negative.”
She expressed a desire to serve as an advocate for these young people, aiming to demonstrate that the constituency values immigration and diversity, recognizing them as sources of strength. Abdi-Wali highlighted Camden’s status as a “borough of sanctuary,” attributing this to the historical efforts of the Labour council and the widespread support for such initiatives within the constituency.
The candidate also shared the overwhelming support she has received, noting that messages of encouragement have bolstered her determination to secure victory in the upcoming election. “The messages of support and keeping strong and going for it and sending a message back to those kind of voices across this constituency that I’ve had over the last week have been immense and really helped me with my resolve to make sure that we win this election and send that message back to those voices and those people.”
Reform UK’s Challenge and Election Context
Zia Yusuf, identified as Reform UK’s home affairs spokesperson, had previously posted a comment questioning Abdi-Wali’s selection, stating: “The frontrunner being foisted on the people of Holborn by Labour to replace the former prime minister Keir Starmer in our parliament was born in Somalia. Do you understand what’s happening?”
Sagal Abdi-Wali, who has led the Council of Camden since May 2026, is competing against Green Party leader Zack Polanski for the Holborn and St Pancras seat. The election is scheduled for October 8.
Appealing to All Voters
Addressing potential Green Party voters, Abdi-Wali asserted that electing a Labour representative remains the most effective path to positive social transformation. “The Labour party has proven itself to be the single biggest vehicle for social change this country has ever seen, and I want to be part of the next phase of that,” she stated.
She emphasized the historical impact of Labour governments and councils on improving citizens’ lives across the constituency and the nation. “So many people across this constituency across our communities have had their lives improved because of Labour governments, because of Labour councils,” Abdi-Wali remarked.
Her commitment to serving as a Member of Parliament stems from a desire to actively influence policy. “I think that’s why I want to make sure that we have a Labour member of Parliament, who will be in those rooms when decisions are being made, have the ear of the Prime Minister, who will have the ear of cabinet members and cabinet ministers and be influencing decisions.”
Support for New Government’s Priorities
Abdi-Wali also expressed approval for Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s initial policy announcements, particularly his pledge to end rough sleeping. She believes Burnham’s agenda resonates with the values of the constituency. “I think he’s brought a real message of hope and the actions and values that really sit well with the people in this constituency,” she said.
The commitment to eradicating homelessness, articulated by Burnham upon entering Downing Street, was singled out as a significant and deeply relevant issue for the local community. “When he walked into Number 10 and spoke about wanting to essentially eradicate rough sleeping and solve homelessness, that is a major major thing for people here. It’s one of my passions in terms of housing, homelessness, rough sleeping. It’s an issue that has massively increased here over the last decade.”
