Zia Yusuf Faces Racism Accusation Over Labour Leader Attack

Zia Yusuf has sparked a racism row by attacking a Labour council leader who was born in Somalia.

Sagal Abdi-Wali is among those in the running to stand for the party in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election triggered by Keir Starmer’s resignation from parliament.

Abdi-Wali came to the UK as a child refugee with her family more than 30 years ago.

She became a Labour councillor in 2022, and has been leader of Camden Council in north London since May.

In a post on X, Yusuf, who is Reform’s home affairs spokesman, said: “The front runner being foisted on the people of Holborn by Labour to replace the former Prime Minister Keir Starmer in our Parliament was born in Somalia. Do you understand what’s happening?”

His comments triggered a furious backlash, putting Yusuf, whose parents came to the UK from Sri Lanka, at the centre of yet another social media storm.

It is not the first time that Yusuf’s social media posts have landed him in hot water.

Last month he was slapped down by Nigel Farage after he said Ben Wallace, the former Tory defence secretary who served in the Scots Guards, was “a traitor to Britain”.

He also launched a bizarre attack on MPs with “right honourable” in their title, even though several the former Conservatives who have defected to Reform, including Robert Jenrick and Suella Braverman, do so.

Listen to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.