Sagal Abdi-Wali winning the Holborn and St Pancras by-election earlier this month

BY-ELECTION winner Sagal Abdi-Wali confirmed this week that she will stay on as a councillor – despite becoming the new MP for Holborn and St Pancras, writes Richard Osley.

While she will pass on the Town Hall leadership to James Slater, Ms Abdi-Wali continue to serve as a councillor in the Camden Square ward. She said she will no longer claim her council allowance, while she is being paid £98,599 for her job at the House of Commons.

Three other Labour councillors who became MPs in recent times – Georgia Gould, Danny Beales and Lloyd Hatton – all swiftly gave up their spots in the council chamber.

But Ms Abdi-Wali’s supporters say there are many examples of MPs staying on as councillors, and that there is nothing in the rules against doing so.

The contrast with the other examples have been put down to Ms Gould being a minister, and Mr Beales and Mr Hatton serving constituencies away from Camden. Other allies say that the council should be spared the cost of holding a ward by-election after residents in the area have already been to vote twice this year.

Camden Square was a close-run contest at May’s council elections with the Greens causing a surprise by coming close to winning a seat in the ward. Ms Abdi-Wali was 60 votes clear of the nearest Green challenger, while her Labour colleague, Councillor Tricia Leman, held on by just 18 votes.

Ms Abdi-Wali said she would do both roles because “I want to continue doing the very best by residents who put their trust in me. I am committed to fulfilling both roles and will not be taking a councillor’s allowance.

“My commitment to Camden Square and the wider Holborn and St Pancras community remains as strong as ever, and I will continue to work hard to represent residents, listen to their concerns, and deliver for our community.”