Sagal Abdi-Wali Sworn In as Labour MP Following By-Election Victory
New Holborn and St Pancras MP takes oath with Koran in hand, accompanied by parliamentary colleagues.
Sagal Abdi-Wali was officially sworn in as the new Member of Parliament for Holborn and St Pancras on Monday afternoon, taking her seat in the House of Commons.
Abdi-Wali secured the north London seat with a 3,364-vote majority in a by-election last week, defeating Green Party leader Zack Polanski. The vote was triggered by the resignation of Keir Starmer, who left the Commons following his ousting as prime minister by Andy Burnham.
During the swearing-in ceremony, Abdi-Wali took the oath while holding a copy of the Koran. She pledged allegiance to King Charles, his heirs, and successors. She was escorted to the despatch box by Labour MPs Natasha Irons and Liam Conlon.
Following the ceremony, Abdi-Wali attended a photocall in Parliament's Westminster Hall with the Prime Minister and fellow Labour MPs.
The Holborn and St Pancras by-election was the seventh parliamentary by-election since the general election in 2024. Abdi-Wali, who came to the UK as a child refugee from Somalia, garnered 12,292 votes, compared to Polanski's 8,928.
Polanski's defeat followed a week marked by controversy for the Green Party, which became embroiled in an anti-Semitism row. A motion passed by members at the Greens' conference declared 'Zionism is racism,' drawing widespread criticism and accusations that the party is extremist and hostile to the Jewish community. Polanski controversially skipped the vote on this motion to campaign for the by-election, facing accusations of a 'lack of leadership' from within his own party.
The Holborn and St Pancras by-election marks Labour's second by-election victory since the 2024 general election, with Andy Burnham having previously won in Makerfield. Reform UK has also secured two by-election wins, while the Conservatives, Greens, and SNP have each won one contest.