Sagal Abdi-Wali has been selected as Labour’s Holborn by-election candidate. She is a former child refugee and currently leads Camden council. This significant contest for the north London seat follows Keir Starmer’s departure.
Ms Abdi-Wali, 42, arrived in the UK from Somalia in the 1990s. She expressed her delight at the selection, promising to champion the community’s needs. “This place welcomed my family as refugees,” she said, “and gave us hope when we needed it most.”
Moreover, she pledged to centre her campaign on local communities. Ms Abdi-Wali has served as a Labour councillor since 2022 and chaired the local constituency Labour party. She also works as a governor for two schools and volunteers for local charities.
Meanwhile, the Green Party leader, Zack Polanski, is the likely main opponent. Local Greens in Holborn and St Pancras will formally select their candidate next week. However, Mr Polanski is widely expected to be endorsed.
The by-election, set for October 8, takes place after Mr Starmer resigned from the seat he held since 2015. His majority significantly decreased in the last election, from nearly 28,000 to 11,500. Additionally, Andrew Feinstein, a leftwing independent who challenged Mr Starmer, will not stand this time and may back the Greens.
Recent polling shows a boost for Labour since Andy Burnham’s arrival in Downing Street. Conversely, Mr Polanski’s popularity has seen a slight dip due to some recent missteps. Reform UK’s Zia Yusuf also sparked controversy last week with remarks about Ms Abdi-Wali’s background, which Labour condemned as racist.
Labour’s by-election campaign lead, MP Liam Conlon, praised Ms Abdi-Wali. He called her a “fantastic local champion” with a strong record on housing, homelessness, and anti-social behaviour. All cabinet members are expected to campaign, signalling a robust effort to win the Holborn by-election candidate spot.
