Voters in Holborn and St Pancras go to the polls this Thursday to elect a new MP, with Labour Party chair Bridget Phillipson backing Camden's Sagal Abdi-Wali as the candidate who is "putting hope firmly on the ballot paper for Labour."
Phillipson, who is also Women and Equalities Minister, described Abdi-Wali as a "fantastic local voice" with twenty years of volunteering experience locally. During her time as an elected local councillor, Abdi-Wali worked for better housing and supported young families.
A story of welcome and compassion
Abdi-Wali came to Britain as a child fleeing war 30 years ago, finding "kindness and support, a home and a community" in the country. Phillipson wrote that many families who came to Britain from overseas share the same story: "the welcome, the decency, and the compassion of Britain's quiet majority, far from the vile online abuse of the extreme right."
Abdi-Wali now wants to repay the generosity of Camden's communities and renew hope in the country and its future, working with Andy Burnham and Labour's team to put the country on the right track. Phillipson said this means "good growth in every postcode, hope in every heart, and Labour values clear in every choice."
Addressing local and national challenges
Abdi-Wali is aware of the challenges local residents face, including the "appalling track record" of Thames Water locally, which she will work with the Labour Government to tackle. She also backs the Prime Minister's determination to end rough sleeping, building on work she began as a councillor. Labour is working to offer everyone a bed by Christmas.
Phillipson said hope also comes from people seeing the government on their side, addressing real problems and bringing real change. She highlighted the Labour Government's work on one of the "biggest scandals" left by the Tories: after fourteen years of Tory rule, almost a million young people across England are not in education, employment or training.
Phillipson praised Abdi-Wali's work to bring schools, colleges, universities and businesses together locally to ensure young people have clear routes into learning and work. She contrasted this with the Tories' approach, saying Labour is supporting young people to succeed "so we all succeed, bringing hope back to Britain."
Phillipson noted that none of this can be taken for granted, and urged people in Holborn and St Pancras to hear Labour's message and back its plans. She will be there with trade unionists and Labour activists this week and on polling day.
Tory conference and grassroots sport
Looking ahead to next week's Tory Party Conference, Phillipson predicted more infighting than usual. While Andy Burnham has united Labour, she said Kemi Badenoch's party is still "clinging to the memory of Liz Truss," with Badenoch replacing her shadow Chancellor with a man who described Truss's mini-Budget as "the right plans."
Phillipson said the Tories are falling apart over Labour's plans to fund a new National Care Service by adjusting the pensions triple lock, with top Tories already coming out against Badenoch's position. She urged Badenoch to stop opposing change for its own sake and back Labour's plan for care.
The Labour chair also wrote about taking to the hockey pitch again this weekend for her team, having taken it up again after Covid and being struck by the sense of community it brings. She thanked everyone who runs amateur sport in the country for bringing teams and communities together.
Phillipson also noted that her local council in Sunderland used to support Show Racism the Red Card, a North East charity dedicated to kicking racism out of football. Now that Reform runs the Council, they have ended 30 years of support, claiming the charity has "an agenda." Phillipson said it is clear what Reform's agenda is when they cancel vital work like this.
