Let Us All Support Sagal Abdi-Wali: Disagreement Before an Election Is Merely Natural

Sagal Abdi-Wali’s victory in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election, winning the parliamentary seat vacated by Keir Starmer, deserves to be celebrated and supported. We are talking about a hijab-wearing Muslim woman of Somali-Arab heritage whose arrival in Parliament marks an important step towards strengthening the representation of immigrants and Muslims, including Somali and Arab communities (Somalia is a member of the Arab League), in British political life.

Disagreement over candidates before an election is both natural and legitimate. Some of us supported Zack Polanski, the leader of the Green Party, because of his clear opposition to the genocide in Gaza and his willingness to bear the political cost of taking that stand. Polanski is Jewish, and his party also made significant gains in the constituency, demonstrating an electoral presence worth recognising.

Others, meanwhile, saw Sagal’s candidacy as an opportunity to strengthen the political representation of Muslims and immigrants, and hoped she would become a voice for their concerns and aspirations in Parliament. However, her position on Palestine remained a source of concern, particularly following criticism of her withdrawal from a scheduled meeting to discuss Camden Council’s investments in the occupying state, while she was serving as the council’s leader.

This disagreement was not so much a contradiction in our ultimate goals as a difference in how we assessed the available choices. Voting for one candidate rather than another is a democratic right, and scrutinising candidates’ positions and holding them accountable for those positions are entirely legitimate. But the election result has settled the contest, and a new responsibility now lies before us.

Sagal now represents us in Parliament, and it is in all our interests for her to succeed in carrying out her responsibilities.

She has pledged to give greater attention to the Palestinian cause, and we hope this commitment will translate into concrete positions and practical action. What is required is not simply sympathy for the Palestinians, but clarity in confronting the genocide, defending the rights of the Palestinian people, and applying political pressure that can help change the British government’s position.

This makes her role all the more important given the relatively more progressive positions taken by Andy Burnham and Ed Miliband on the occupation, in contrast to the stance of Keir Starmer’s government. Sagal’s presence in Parliament should help strengthen these voices and push Britain towards a position more consistent with justice and the rights of the most vulnerable.

Supporting Sagal does not mean that those who chose Polanski must abandon their convictions, just as her victory does not exempt her from scrutiny over her positions. We can disagree over how we assess the candidates while agreeing to support every step that serves Palestine and strengthens our communities’ presence in British political life.

The electoral contest is over, and the responsibility to act has begun. It is our duty to congratulate Sagal on her victory, support her success, and follow her performance seriously, rather than remain trapped in the disputes of the election campaign. The measure now is what she delivers, how faithfully she honours her promises, and whether she can turn her political position into an opportunity to make a difference.

Let us all support Sagal Abdi-Wali, and let us treat our pre-election disagreements as a natural part of democratic life, not a reason for division afterwards. What is needed now is to give her the opportunity to succeed while holding firmly to our right to demand clear positions on Palestine and to insist that her political representation becomes a genuine contribution to the struggle for justice and rights.

Sagal’s victory is a source of pride. What we now expect of her is to succeed in shouldering the responsibility that comes with it.

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