Reform UK’s home affairs spokesperson Zia Yusuf faces criticism after posting on social media about Labour by-election contender Sagal Abdi-Wali, a Somali-born former child refugee and leader of Camden Council. The comments are linked to the Holborn and St Pancras byelection, called after Keir Starmer resigns as MP.
Labour ministers and the party leadership condemn Yusuf’s remarks. Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds, questioned on Sky News, describes them as “pretty straightforward” and “absolutely” racism, arguing that Abdi-Wali has spent decades in the UK and contributed to her community. Similar coverage in multiple outlets reports that Yusuf was accused within and outside the party, including by a Labour cabinet minister.
Reform figures reject the racism allegation. Another Reform spokesperson tells Sky News that it is legitimate to raise questions about political loyalties, while also saying the remark is not about Abdi-Wali’s birthplace. Outlets also note that Yusuf’s post triggered a wider social media backlash after it appeared last week, with critics drawing comparisons to previous political rhetoric elsewhere.
