Sagal Abdi-Wali has taken her seat in the House of Commons by formally swearing in as the Labour MP for Holborn and St Pancras.
Abdi-Wali, who won last week’s Holborn and St Pancras by-election, took the parliamentary oath on Monday afternoon – the first item of business after the commons returned from conference recess.
She was flanked by fellow Labour MP Liam Conlon as she first entered the commons chamber. Conlon served as Labour’s campaign coordinator in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election.
Invited to recite the oath, Abdi-Wali said: “I swear by Almighty God that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles, his heirs and successors, according to law. So help me God.”
“I swear by Almighty God that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles, his heirs and successors, according to law. So help me God.”🔴 New Labour MP Sagal Abdi-Wali, the winner of the Holborn and St Pancras by-election, takes the parliamentary oath
Abdi-Wali won 12,292 votes (45.1%) in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election, defeating Green Party leader Zack Polanski who secured 8,928 votes (32.8%). The contest was triggered by former prime minister Keir Starmer’s resignation as an MP.
After being sworn in, Abdi-Wali was greeted by the commons speaker, Lindsay Hoyle, and gestured towards the public gallery before the House moved to questions to the Department for Work and Pensions.
Secretary of state for work and pensions Pat McFadden opened the session by briefly summarising the changes in the political landscape since he last addressed MPs from the government despatch box.
McFadden’s remarks included a swipe at Polanski, Abdi-Wali’s opponent in Holborn and St Pancras.
McFadden said: “It’s been some time since we had one of these sessions, and there have been some political developments.
“We have a new prime minister [Andy Burnham] in place, and the shadow secretary of state [Helen Whately] has survived a reshuffle. I know what that feels like so I welcome her back to her place.
“And of course we have just welcomed the new MP for Holborn and St Pancras. I should say if her opponent [Polanski] needs any help with employment security, we have a number of work experience and training programmes which I am happy to make available to him if he ever needs it.”
Pat McFadden welcomes new Labour MP Sagal Abdi-Wali to the chamber He adds: “If her opponent [Zack Polanski] needs any help with employment security, we have a number of work experience and training programmes which I am happy to make available to him.”
