Wednesday 9, Sep 2026 {HMC} LONDON — Sagal Abdi-Wali, the Somali-born leader of Camden Council, has emerged as the leading contender to become the Labour Party’s candidate in the upcoming by-election for Holborn and St Pancras, the parliamentary seat formerly held by Keir Starmer.
Abdi-Wali, who arrived in the UK from Somalia as a child refugee, has lived in Camden for 35 years and has built a long record of community and public service. She was elected as a Camden councillor in 2022 and became leader of the council in May 2026.
Labour has not yet formally confirmed its candidate, although Abdi-Wali is widely regarded as the frontrunner. The by-election is expected to be closely contested, with Green Party leader Zack Polanski also seeking to challenge Labour for the traditionally Labour-held seat.
If selected and subsequently elected, Abdi-Wali would become a significant new figure in British politics and would mark an important milestone for Somali-British representation in Parliament.
