Labour candidate Sagal Abdi-Wali misses homelessness hustings

Sagal Abdi-Wali, the Labour candidate for the Holborn and St Pancras by-election, has faced criticism for not attending a hustings event organised by the homelessness charity Street Kitchen. Organisers stated that Ms Abdi-Wali failed to attend the debate on Tuesday, October 6, and did not send a representative in her place.

Organisers' anger over no-show

Street Kitchen, a Camden-based volunteer group, expressed “extreme anger” at Ms Abdi-Wali's absence. Elodie Berland, a coordinator for the group, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that the candidate "didn't even bother to reply" to emails and social media messages. Ms Berland, who has lived in Camden for 30 years and worked with Street Kitchen for 10, highlighted the urgency of the homelessness crisis in the borough. She noted that Ms Abdi-Wali had previously held a housing brief on the council cabinet, making her input particularly sought after.

A spokesperson for Labour's campaign stated that while they were grateful for the invitation, "prior commitments had already been made" when the request was received. They added that it had not been possible to fulfil every invitation due to the volume of requests.

Homelessness in Camden

The number of people sleeping rough in Camden has significantly increased. In June 2026, the borough recorded 240 individuals sleeping rough, a rise from 103 in May 2026. This represents an increase of 133 per cent. Camden Council reported spending £39 million on homelessness and rough sleeping services during the 2024/25 financial year.

Other candidates also did not attend the hustings. Zack Polanski, the Green Party leader and candidate, was represented by Southwark councillor Reginald Popoola. The Conservative and Reform candidates were also absent, though the Conservative campaign stated they had given prior notice and apologies. Representatives from the Liberal Democrats, The Greens, and the Workers Party did attend and spoke in favour of increased support for grassroots organisations and opposed enforcement measures like Community Protection Notices for rough sleeping.

On the same day as the hustings, Ms Abdi-Wali attended a charity event with Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Mayor of London Sadiq Khan. She has pledged to collaborate with the government and City Hall to address rough sleeping in the borough.

By-election details

The Holborn and St Pancras by-election was triggered by Sir Keir Starmer's resignation as MP in September. The election is scheduled to take place on Thursday, October 8. Polling stations will be open from 7am to 10pm. Voters will need to provide photo identification to cast their ballot.