Zia Yusuf, Reform UK's spokesperson for home affairs, speaks at a press conference in London last month.Zia Yusuf has sparked a racism row by attacking a Labour council leader who was born in Somalia.
Sagal Abdi-Wali is among those in the running to stand for the party in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election triggered by Keir Starmer’s resignation from parliament.
Abdi-Wali came to the UK as a child refugee with her family more than 30 years ago.
She became a Labour councillor in 2022, and has been leader of Camden Council in north London since May.
In a post on X, Yusuf, who is Reform’s home affairs spokesman, said: “The front runner being foisted on the people of Holborn by Labour to replace the former Prime Minister Keir Starmer in our Parliament was born in Somalia. Do you understand what’s happening?”
The front runner being foisted on the people of Holborn by Labour to replace the former Prime Minister Keir Starmer in our Parliament was born in Somalia.
Do you understand what’s happening?
His comments triggered a furious backlash, putting Yusuf, whose parents came to the UK from Sri Lanka, at the centre of yet another social media storm.
This is simply racism. No other word for it. https://t.co/pm8PCpcHJR
— (((Dan Hodges))) (@DPJHodges) September 2, 2026Yes, we understand Zia. It’s called a parliamentary democracy.
Rather than being a racist twat, why not man up and run against her? pic.twitter.com/8h011C0A89
Why the fuck does the fact she was born in Somalia matter, Zia?
Sagal Abdi-Wali came to Camden as a child, has lived there for 35 years, was elected by Camden residents as a councillor, was re-elected this year, and is now Leader of Camden Council.
If you have an objection to…
This is racism https://t.co/ej62dBHbA4
— lee harpin (@lmharpin) September 2, 2026When I worked for the Labour Party some years ago Sagal Abdi-Wali was already known to be brilliant, hardworking and destined for big things. If she chose this path now she'd be a great MP.
You, meanwhile, will be the same rancid racist shitbag as always. https://t.co/CfVgbKNNma
You are a disgraceful racist https://t.co/hW25unHH5z
— Abdi Duale (@AbdiDuale_) September 2, 2026White racists said stuff like this about Yusuf’s parents when they moved to the UK from Sri Lanka in the 1980s but now their son, who isn’t white, but wants the votes of white racists, is saying stuff like this about Somali immigrants.
Truly disgusting. https://t.co/9dpcKaoObX
And Boris Johnson was born in New York and Kemi Badenoch grew up in Nigeria. So what?!? https://t.co/e8xTVeloxM
— James Hanson (@jhansonradio) September 2, 2026It is not the first time that Yusuf’s social media posts have landed him in hot water.
Last month he was slapped down by Nigel Farage after he said Ben Wallace, the former Tory defence secretary who served in the Scots Guards, was “a traitor to Britain”.
He also launched a bizarre attack on MPs with “right honourable” in their title, even though several the former Conservatives who have defected to Reform, including Robert Jenrick and Suella Braverman, do so.
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