Sagal Abdi-Wali will be serving as a Labour MP and councillor

NICKIE Aiken’s ears might have been burning this week, even though it’s a while since she departed the scene in Westminster.

The former Two Cities MP, and, of course, once the leader of the city council, has cropped up in discussions about whether it is possible – or perhaps whether it is wise – to attempt to be both a councillor and member of parliament at the same time.

It was claimed this week that nobody raised any concerns at all when Ms Aiken – now head of communications at the British Embassy in Dubai – straddled both roles. Harrington recalls there were a few whispers about job-hogging at the time, but, sure, no fiery anger.

This is partly why friends and supporters of parliament’s newest MP, Sagal Abdi-Wali in Holborn and St Pancras, were wondering this week whether condemnation about her own decision to do both might be fuelled by the racism which had reared its ugly head during the campaign for the vacancy left by Sir Keir Starmer’s resignation.

Is Ms Abdi-Wali, who came to the UK from Somalia as a child refugee aged six, already being held to different standards?

Or will every criticism of her choices now be attributed to being powered by prejudice; even those with only passing interest in her recent by-election may remember Reform UK’s home affairs spokesperson Zia Yusuf questioning why somebody born in the east African country should be standing to be a lawmaker here. A stupid comment, which in the end only really served as an added propeller for her campaign.

But for those interested in the ins and outs of London politics, the decision to hold two roles at the same time is a debating point, which starts with the issue of the cost of holding council by-elections, which Ms Abdi-Wali’s Labour allies say is very important to consider.

Nickie Aiken

Given Mr Starmer just triggered an even more expensive parliamentary by-election – the one which handed Ms Abdi-Wali this golden opportunity to be an MP – with what might be considered a premature exit, it is a bit rich for anybody in the Labour Party to talk about prices. As it happens, the Labour Party in her borough – Camden – has seen several councillors spark by-elections over recent years too, including Adrian Cohen in Hampstead, who quit a matter of days, if not hours, after being elected. That cost factor only seems to come into play when its convenient.

Ms Abdi-Wali, it should be stressed, will not be taking a councillor allowance while doing both roles, and so the message is that she is doing this for the love and for her commitment of the residents of the Camden Square ward.

“I will continue serving as a councillor for Camden Square alongside my responsibilities as MP for Holborn and St Pancras, because I want to continue doing the very best by the residents who have put their trust in me,” she said in her official explanation.

That’s the Camden Square ward where she held on to the seat by just 60 votes at May’s council elections, against a Green campaign which had not been expected to go so close.

The party, although now in better electoral shape than it was in the spring, has therefore been accused of being scared to have a rematch.

Harrington suspects, with a bit more confidence in themselves, it would probably at this moment in time represent the chance for another Labour triumph over Zack Polanski’s party, with the accompanying chance to start somebody new’s political career.

In the end, it’s one council seat, and it’s surprising that Ms Abdi-Wali would allow her honeymoon period in parliament – a time of goodwill and congratulations – to be turned into a debate about “two jobs Sagal”.

If there is a clash between an all-member council meeting and a parliamentary vote, eyes will be on her and that will be a situation of her own making.

Ms Aiken, meanwhile, will be the example held up by Labour of a Tory doing the same thing.