Councillor James Slater

JAMES Slater is set to become the third Camden Council leader in as many years after being backed by his fellow Labour councillors for the role.

The vacancy at the top of the Town Hall has opened up after Sagal Abdi-Wali won the Holborn and St Pancras by-election. She had herself only become leader of the council in May, after her predecessor, Richard Olszewski, lost his seat to the Greens at May’s council elections.

The Labour group held an online meeting today (Saturday) to decide who would step up into her role. Cllr Slater, who represents Kentish Town North and fought off the Greens in his ward earlier this year, emerged the winner from a list which also included cabinet councillors Adam Harrison and Camron Aref-Adib, plus former mayor Eddie Hanson.

Ms Abdi-Wali was sworn in as an MP on Monday at the Houses of Parliament, but has not yet stepped down as a councillor in Camden Square. It is understood that there have been discussions within the party as to whether she could stay on in both roles to avoid sending residents back to the polls to choose a new representative for their ward, but insiders said that having two jobs was not considered a good look by others in the group.