Zia Yusuf’s post about Camden council leader is ‘straightforward racism’, says minister
Summary
Labour has accused Reform UK’s Zia Yusuf of racism after he questioned whether Sagal Abdi-Wali, a Labour candidate born in Somalia, is truly British. The comment received criticism from senior politicians, including the business secretary, who called it “straightforward racism.”Key Facts
- Zia Yusuf, speaking for Reform UK, posted on X questioning Labour’s choice of Sagal Abdi-Wali as a candidate because she was born in Somalia.
- Sagal Abdi-Wali is the leader of Camden council and has lived in the UK for 35 years.
- Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds called Yusuf’s post “straightforward racism” during a TV interview.
- Yusuf has faced criticism from members of his own party for inflammatory comments on social media.
- Nadine Dorries, a Reform UK member, described Yusuf’s post as “nasty” but praised him as a smart communicator.
- Laila Cunningham, another Reform UK candidate, said she did not understand the meaning behind Yusuf’s comment and acknowledged Abdi-Wali as British.
- Abdi-Wali came to the UK as a child refugee and has volunteered for local charities and served as a school governor.
- Labour will soon announce its candidate for the Holborn and St Pancras byelection, where it expects to compete with the Green party.
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