13.10.2026 16:31
Labour Party candidate Sagal Abdi-Wali, who won the by-election held in the UK for the Holborn and St Pancras seat vacated by former Prime Minister Keir Starmer, was sworn in as an MP. Abdi-Wali, 42, who came to the UK as a refugee from Somalia as a child, received 45 percent of the vote. Al Jazeera announced that Abdi-Wali is the first Somali-born refugee woman elected to the UK Parliament.
Labour Party candidate Sagal Abdi-Wali won the by-election held in the Holborn and St Pancras constituency in London. Abdi-Wali defeated Green Party leader Zack Polanski to enter the House of Commons.
BY-ELECTION FOR STARMER’S SEAT The by-election was held after Keir Starmer, who handed over the role of Prime Minister to Andy Burnham in July, resigned as an MP. In the constituency, which had been held by the Labour Party since its creation in 1983, Abdi-Wali won 45 percent of the vote.
Green Party leader Zack Polanski came second with 33 percent. The Conservative Party took 7 percent, and Reform UK took 6 percent.
Sagal Abdi-Wali SHE CAME AS A CHILD REFUGEE Born in Somalia in 1984, Abdi-Wali came to the UK as a refugee at about age 7 in the early 1990s because of the Somali Civil War. Having spent most of her life in London’s Camden area, Abdi-Wali worked in charities and schools. In May 2026, she became leader of Camden Council.
Al Jazeera reported that Abdi-Wali is the first Somali-born refugee woman elected to the UK Parliament. Abdi-Wali was also recorded as the first British person of Somali origin to represent the constituency.
“THIS IS CAMDEN, THIS IS ENGLAND” In her victory speech, Abdi-Wali said she hoped the election result would show that people like her also “belong here,” and she concluded her speech with the words “This is Camden and this is England.”
Abdi-Wali stated that she wanted to work with Prime Minister Burnham and the Labour government to tackle homelessness and the housing crisis. She also listed providing more opportunities for young people and the nationalisation of Thames Water among her goals.
CONGRATULATIONS FROM BURNHAM, STATEMENT FROM POLANSKI Prime Minister Andy Burnham congratulated Abdi-Wali and said he looked forward to working with her. Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre also sent a congratulatory message to Abdi-Wali.
Green Party leader Zack Polanski, who came second in the election, said he was disappointed with the result but that his party continued to grow. Polanski argued that the seat, once considered safe for the Labour Party, had now become competitive, and announced that he would continue as party leader.