Zia Yusuf’s post about Camden council leader is ‘straightforward racism’, says minister

Yusuf asked on X: ‘Do you understand what’s happening?’ after pointing out that Abdi-Wali had been born in Somalia. Photograph: James Manning/PA

Labour has accused Reform’s Zia Yusuf of “straightforward racism” after he suggested the party’s frontrunner to replace Keir Starmer in the Holborn and St Pancras byelection was not British.

Sagal Abdi-Wali, a former child refugee from Somalia and the leader of Camden council, has been tipped as an early favourite to contest the London seat for Labour after the former prime minister’s resignation.